Burning Redemption
by Shadythief
Summary: Ten years of war. For Yang, those years have been hard, and lonely. But the war for Remnant is reaching a climactic finish, as the last of the Hunters band together to fight for their world. But the enemy has a trump card, one that none of them expected. With the odds against them, can they achieve the impossible? Can they kill a god? Or will they just have to wing it?
1. Chapter 1

**Hey all! This is just a plot idea I've had floating around in my head for awhile, just wanted to write it out and see where it goes :P. Please be sure to fav/follow if you enjoy it, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts on it.**

 **I don't own any writes to RWBY or any other Rooster Teeth product. (See? Write? Like right? No?...I'll stop now.)**

* * *

Chapter one

 _Ten Years Ago…_

 _The flames burnt brightly, enough to blind if stared into for too long. Despite it being a cloudless, sunny day, the large fire could easily be seen, the pyre in an open field, just outside of Vale. The breeze was pleasant, cool on the skin. If this had been any time before now, it would have been a good day._

 _Yang, however, felt like it was the worst in her life._

 _Several months had passed since their school, Beacon Academy, was lost at the hands of the Grimm. The creatures of evil had overwhelmed the cities defenses, as well as the students who had fought bravely in its defense. Some people had given everything they had to try and stop the invasion. Some had even given their lives._

 _Yang heard a quiet sniff close beside her. She turned her head, eyes wincing slightly. Her sister, Ruby Rose, was weeping quietly. She tried to wear a brave face, as some of the others were doing. But she was young, and the pain was intense. For all of them. Her usual dark attire was fitting, the black and red combat skirt and corset matching the day's theme very well indeed._

 _Ruby curled closer into the arms of the girl cradling her. Weiss Schnee had managed to convince her father to allow her to come, though Yang had spotted him in the foreground, ready to snatch her back up at a moment's notice._

 _The heiress herself looked just as devastated, holding Ruby tightly to her. Her usual icy blue eyes were red from crying, white hair tied up into a lazy ponytail, none of the efforts she usually put into her hair present. Yang stood a distance apart from the two, not eager to be dragged into the embraces._

 _Others were here as well, several of the Teachers had come to pay their respects at the unofficial memorial. Most of the bodies were…unrecoverable. Which meant this was more symbolic than anything else. Yang noticed a boy move closer to the fire, clutching a single flower with both hands._

 _She immediately knew who it was, even though it caused more pain. Jaune, his blonde hair messily blowing in the wind, stared into the fire with a blank face, though his eyes showed tremendous pain. His teammate, Pyrrha Nikos, had given her life fighting the enemy single-handedly. It was a noble way to go, but that didn't make it any better for anyone, especially Jaune._

 _Yang had suspected the two might be an item, but she never thought the truth would come out this way. Jaune must have felt like his life had just come to a skidding halt, that there wasn't a reason to continue without his friend._

 _Yang knew exactly how he felt. And it made her blood boil._

 _While she hadn't lost someone quite that close, she had lost her closest friend. Blake Belladonna had suffered a serious injury to her stomach, originating from a certain swordsman's blade. The injury had proven too much for her. She'd died as so many others had. It tore Yang up inside, the feeling of loss as powerful as when her father had initially told her._

 _She looked back over at Weiss and Ruby, a sudden stab of envy hitting her. Blake should have been here, they should have been embracing and crying together, as the close friends they were. But no, Yang was forced to have all these thoughts alone. She took a sharp breath, looking away and instinctively moving her hand to clutch her arm. When she met open air she paused for a second, before remembering. She swore quietly._

 _Blake hadn't been the only one to lose something to a blade. She glanced down at the stump that was now her right arm, feeling anger boil up. She had actually chanced upon Blake and her attacker in the act, which had sent her into a rage. She'd launched forward without hesitation, her only thoughts getting the man away from her friend._

 _Adam, the swordsman, had not only beaten her but had removed her arm for good measure. It had been over in seconds. Yang hadn't even realized something was wrong before she fell unconscious. When she'd come to, her dad had told her that Blake had been the one to drag her away, fighting her own injury. She'd managed, but it had been too much. It was all too much…_

" _Yang?..." a quiet, familiar voice asked._

 _She immediately looked up, blinking away her tears. "Yeah, Ruby?"_

" _What…what are we going to do now?" She asked, wiping her eyes with a sleeve._

" _For now, nothing," Weiss said softly, standing beside her sister. "I'll talk to my father, try and get him to see reason. When I do come back, we can form a plan. No point trying now when we're so divided."_

 _Ruby nodded, swallowing hard. She turned her silver eyes toward Yang. "Sis? Did you want to try some stuff while Weiss is…away?"_

 _Yang laughed. She hadn't meant too, but the welling emotions inside her were going to come out eventually. Ruby flinched away while Weiss narrowed her eyes slightly._

" _Sorry sorry," Yang said, quieting down. "You want me to help you? I can't help anyone Ruby, not anymore."_

 _Ruby's eyes flicked down to her severed arm. The girl knew exactly what Yang was saying. "But…surely we can do something?"_

 _Yang breathed heavily, burning wood filling her lungs. "Do what you want you two, I'm done."_

 _Yang turned away. It was all too much, the funeral, her friends. The friends not here. She couldn't take it anymore. She began walking off, heading back to the city. Maybe one of the airships could take her home, where she could curl up in her bed and cease to exist._

 _She felt a hand grab her arm, whirling her around. She had to resist trying to lash out. Weiss glared at her. "Excuse me? We're all suffering here, especially your sister. Don't you think you could try and show a little compassion?"_

 _Yang was close to her limit, her fist clenching. "I'm done, Weiss. I'm no help to anyone. I couldn't even save Blake, and now I'm down a hand. I. Am. Done."_

" _Yang…" Ruby whispered, fresh tears beginning to fall._

 _But Weiss wasn't finished, cold anger flaring in her eyes. "No, you don't get to be done, Yang. We're a team, you can't just walk away."_

" _One of us is dead!" Yang shouted, earning a few stares. But she didn't care anymore. "Blake is gone, and it's all my fault. I should have been the one, she should be here planning for the future with you two. I want nothing to do with it, you hear me?"_

 _Weiss looked taken aback, blinking rapidly. "I'm…I'm sorry."_

" _Whatever, I'm out of here," Yang muttered, preparing to turn and begin leaving again._

" _Yang please…"_

 _She stopped, looking over her shoulder. Ruby was clutching at her chest like it was in pain. Of course it was, how couldn't it be? "Please…don't leave. I don't want…"_

 _Yang nearly broke at the sight of her sister, feeling the urge to run over and embrace her. But the feeling to just leave and forget all of this was stronger. She didn't care about the world, or what happened next. She just didn't want to be a part of it anymore._

" _Just, leave me alone…" She whispered, turning her back on them and breaking into a run._

 _She heard them call out but she didn't look back. And she never would. She would forget all of this if it was the last thing she ever did. No more pain, no more guilt. No more rage. She clenched her eyes shut, two tears squeezing out._

 _She would never let herself feel like this again._

* * *

"Oh you've got to be kidding me! Don't drop me, mercy!"

Yang yawned, arm outstretched. "We've been through this bud, tell me what I wanna know, and I won't drop you. Why is that so hard for you to get?"

She looked out across the nighttime cityscape, the view from the building roof outstanding. The wind blew through her hair, the sounds of the city below carrying up. She peered over the edge, again reminded of just how high up they were. It really was a long way down.

"You're crazy lady! I don't know nothing!" The guy said quickly, wriggling in her grip. Yang held him by a leg, dangling him over the edge with ease. She smirked, pretending to lose her grip. He squealed and froze.

"Yeah, not really the best time to try and break free," Yang said matter-of-factly. She continued. "Now, come on. I know you work for the White Fang. And I know you know a little something about our mutual friend, Adam Taurus."

The man shook his head quickly, face red from being hung upside down. "I don't know anything! Adam isn't even the leader anymore. Hasn't been for years!"

"Did I ask for a history lesson?" Yang asked, lightly shaking her arm. The guy yelped, going rigid again. Her point made, she continued. "I know he's not the leader anymore, that's common knowledge. Everyone knows your just Grimm lackeys now."

"Hey." The guy said quietly. "I'm offended."

"And I don't really care," Yang said, patience beginning to wane. "I know for a fact that you know more. Start talking, my arm's getting tired."

He blinked, looking up at the hand grasping his ankle. "Uhh…I was meaning to ask. How does that work? I mean, your arms made of metal and all. Can it feel things?"

Yang looked at her mechanical arm, covered in armored plates with gaps around the joints. The under metal was dark, with the armored parts yellow. That was her doing, of course, needed to match the rest of her ensemble. It had taken her ages to get used to it, but now she couldn't imagine herself without it. And that was without mentioning its combat prowess…

She frowned. "Why do you wanna know?"

"Well, I mean. Just curious. Does it actually get tired?" He asked cautiously.

Yang felt a vein pulse on her forehead. "It's just a threat! No, the robot arm doesn't get tired, how dumb are you?"

The thug seemed to pout. "No need to be so mean…"

"Alright, you know what? I'm dropping you." Yang said, loosening her grip. He fell an inch.

He screamed and began flailing his arms. "Alright! I'll talk, just please don't drop me!"

She smiled, lifting his back up. "See? Isn't that just easier? Now, what do you know?"

"Jeez lady…" He grumbled. "Adam hasn't been seen by anybody for years. Not since the day he vanished. But, some of our…senior members keep in contact with him. I don't know how, they just do."

"Oh yeah? What are some names I could use?" Yang asked, perking a brow.

He hesitated. "I, uh, really don't want to say. Pretty sure they won't appreciate me ratting them out, you know? Not exactly what friends should do to each other."

"Well, what's worse? Them, or me dropping you? I'll totally let you pick." Yang casually said, jiggling his leg again.

He looked down at the distant pavement below and squeaked. "Alright…Blane Arsonos and Barry Burns."

She snickered. "No way, those have to be made up. _Barry Burns?"_

"Nope, it's the truth, swear on my mum. Never said they sounded awesome." He said quickly, glancing back down. "So…you're going to let me go right?"

"Oh, well if you insist," Yang said, flexing her fingers.

He began screaming, his eyes clenched shut. Yang frowned, tapping her foot while waiting for him to realize he wasn't falling. He ran out of breath, preparing another scream when he paused, one eye peeking open. When he realized she hadn't actually dropped him, he sighed in relief. She pulled him away from the edge, dropping him on the roof.

He groaned, slowly getting to his feet. "Well, if that's everything. It's been a pleasure. I'll just be going…"

She grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from running. "Now hold on, I didn't say you could just go."

He blinked, looking back at the ledge. "But you said-"

"I said I'm not dropping you off the roof," Yang said, rolling her eyes. "Still gonna have to drop you off at the police."

"But, but…"

"You really going to complain?"

"…no ma'am."

Yang nodded, smiling. "Good. Now, why don't we-"

She heard a loud thud. Followed by another. She turned her head toward the closed door that led off the roof. She'd locked it when the two of them had come up here, and now apparently, someone else wanted access to the rooftop.

She suddenly heard her prisoner chuckling. She snapped her head back to him. "What's so funny?"

He smiled at her. "Think about it. When do the White Fang ever travel alone?"

She frowned, looking back to the door just as it burst off its hinges. Men in suits came running out, Yang counted six or seven. They wore the masks that the White Fang were known for, some wielding clubs and batons. A few had firearms, several pistols pointed in her direction. They formed a circle, cutting off any form of escape she might have had.

One of the men stepped forward. "Huntress, we don't appreciate your snooping. Now, we're going to have to kill you."

Before she could get a word in, her prisoner spoke up. "Ha! In your face you awful woman! In your-"

"Afraid we're gonna kill you to Stone." The leader said casually.

Her prisoner, Stone apparently, stopped dead. "Huh? Wh-Why?"

"You told her too much. Gotta punish you somehow."

"Isn't the point of a punishment so you can learn from it?" Yang asked. "Don't see how he's gonna learn when he's dead."

"Thank you!" Stone said, turning to hug her.

She leaned away, face wrinkling. "Look guys, I'd love to tangle with you, but I've got places to be. Authorities to talk to, food to eat. So why don't we cut this short, because let's face it. You're gonna lose either way."

The leader bristled, slowly marching toward her. "You Hunters think you're so tough. And yet you fail to save the world or anyone in it. Soon, our savior will eradicate all the humans of Remnant while saving the Faunas. You can't stop us, you can't even-"

Yang hit him.

Her metal fist collided with his cheek, a fiery explosion shooting out from her knuckles. He flew back like a bullet, crashing into a wall and fracturing the brick. The others visibly hesitated, looking amongst themselves uncertainly.

Yang chuckled, lightly shaking Stones' shoulder. He looked at her, wide-eyed. "Alright, now go stand over by the door. If you run…just don't run ok?"

He swallowed, shakily stepping away from her and walking toward the broken door. The henchmen watched him walk, but didn't try and stop him. He stopped beside the door, the leader still embedded in the wall beside him. He whimpered pitifully.

The thugs looked back to her, hands clenching their weapons tightly. Yang sniffed, rolling her shoulder. She flexed both fists, knuckles cracking. She smirked, eyes darting from one to another, waiting for the first one to make a move. Like sheep, as soon as one began, they all would follow suit.

A guy to her left suddenly yelled, charging forward with a raised baton. Yang went low, leg sweeping the guy off his feet. He hit the ground with a hard thud. She noticed another coming at her from the front. She dug her boot underneath the guy on the ground and kicked, launching him into his friend. The both of them cried out and fell in a heap, groaning.

A third took a swipe at her with a sword. She brought up her metal arm, the thick armor blocking the blade. She reached out with her other hand, grabbing his wrist and pulling him in. He grunted in surprise, pulled off his feet. She let him move past her, raising an elbow. She fired her knuckle shots, launching her arm back. She hit the guy in the head, placing him face first on the ground.

She heard a firearm being cocked. She darted toward another guy, wrapping an arm around his neck and holding him in front of her. The two men aiming guns at her hesitated, their arms wavering as they tried to aim at just her. She snickered, pointing a metal finger at one of them. The tip of her finger opened up. She kept her thumb up, like when someone was pretending they had finger guns.

Only, Yang didn't need to pretend.

"Bang."

Fire spewed out from her fingertip, the shot hitting the guy and sending him flying back. The second didn't get the chance to fire, Yang turning on him instantly and shooting again. He fell to the ground, unmoving.

She let go of the thug she'd used as a shield. He whirled around, clumsily swinging a club at her head. Yang ducked the swipe, sending a knee into his gut. He gurgled, flung into the air. Yang leaped up, fist cocked back as she bared down on him. With a wink, she slammed him into the roof, the concrete shattering from the blow.

She landed, casually observing her handy work. All of them were down, except for one. He stood there, shakily holding a baton toward her. Yang chuckled, placing her hands on her hips. "Come on kid, don't have a heart attack. I'm not that scary am I?"

His answer was to run wildly toward her, swinging his weapon before he'd even reached her. She sighed loudly, stepping to the side and holding out her metal arm at head height.

"I really do miss a challenge…"

The thug hit his head against her solid arm, the metal clanging loudly. He grunted, body going rigid, before he fell back to the ground, eyes spinning. She clapped her hands together as if removing dust. Even if they hadn't been too difficult, it had been a little while since she'd had to fight like that. Usually, the baddie just gave up after a short while.

"Alright, now that that's out of the way…" She said, turning to look at the one guy left standing on the roof.

Stone cowered when she looked at him, his eyes shifting toward the open doorway. Yang gave him a pointed look.

"Don't you dare."

He hesitated only for a moment, before making a mad dash through the doorway. Yang flew forward, much faster. He barely made it down one flight of stairs before she was on him, slamming into his back and pinning him against the wall. He gasped, breaking away from her and turning to face her.

"Right, you're under arrest for being a member of an illicit organization, aiding in mass murder and just being a douche in general. How do you plead?"

Stone tried one last desperate attack that she cut short with a very hard hit to his nose. The White Fang member wobbled, collapsed and started crying.

Yang chuckled. "Ah, I love my job."

* * *

"Thank you for the…vagabond Miss Xiao Long." The officer said, eyeing the now woozy Stone. Yang chuckled, looking up at the large Police building. It looked a lot like the other buildings in Mistral, made of brown brick and standing tall. Yang wouldn't have known it even was a Police station if she hadn't seen the massive sign plastered on the front.

"Just doing my civic duty." She said, mock saluting.

"Uh huh." The officer said, clearly not convinced. He gestured for another cop to come grab Stone, who was having trouble standing on his own two feet. Yang watched as he was dragged inside. The officer coughed, getting her attention. "And, remind me how you chanced upon him?"

"Oh, you know. The usual way." She said, smirking. "There might also be a bunch more White Fang all relaxing on a rooftop in a nearby street. Pretty sure they aren't going anywhere."

"Of course there are…" He sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Miss Xiao Long, may I remind you that you can't just go grabbing people off the street like that. You might be a Huntress, but that's not how we do things in this city."

"Well, maybe you'd actually catch some crooks if you did." She said casually.

The officer's jaw dropped. He stuttered, struggling for a response. Yang chuckled, turning away and walking down the street.

"Same time tomorrow?" She yelled over her shoulder. She didn't bother to check his reaction, but she knew it was probably along the lines of red-faced. The thought amused her, bringing a smile to her lips as she moved through the bustling streets.

She caught sight of her reflection in shop windows, taking short moments to appreciate her appearance as she walked. In light of most things, she still looked like the Yang she had been years ago. She had replaced her old leather jacket ages ago, now wearing a mini duster of the same material. The coattails trailed just past her rump, short enough for function.

As well as that, her flesh arm and legs also had some limited armor on them, similar to the plating on her metal arm. Colored yellow as well, they provided some much-needed protection, as well as complimenting her outfit. Other than those new additions, her clothes had pretty much remained the same. She still wore her favorite golden scarf, a gift from Summer. And one she cherished…

She walked around a bend, coming to a stop next to her motorcycle. The bike was completely custom, one of a kind. Yang had taken the time and effort to build it from nothing. Over the years, she'd added and improved upon it. Now, it was just as an effective weapon as her shotgun gauntlets.

She jumped on and fired up the ignition. The engine roared to life, echoing loudly through the street. She revved the throttle, front wheel raising off the ground as she sped off down the road. She rode fast, swerving around slower cars. The roads were backed up, more cars trying to get home for the night than space available. Horns honked and people yelled as Yang sped past them, completely avoiding the hours of waiting everyone else had to suffer.

Her mind wandered as she drove. It had been a long ten years. The attack on Vale had only been the beginning of a much larger plan. The Grimm had launched attack after attack on the other kingdoms, led by a mysterious figurehead known only as 'Salem'. No one had a clue who they were, or what they looked like. But this person had led the Grimm onto huge victories, pushing humanity even further to the brink. Vale had fallen, completely overrun after a massive battle. Vacuo had followed next, the desert towns and cities no match for the hordes of monsters.

Only Mistral and Atlas remained standing. Mistral was surrounded by vast jungles and swamps, making any attempt at a huge attack difficult. The swamps slowed you down, while the jungles hid natural hazards and traps. An individual could maneuver through if they knew the environment well. But an army would have a lot of trouble making the trip.

Atlas, on the other hand, was being hailed as the last bastion of man. After Vale fell, they began building immense fortifications, turning their already militant city into a fortress. The Grimm had tried to attack, more than once. Each time Atlas had managed to fight off the hordes, a 'shining' beacon for those who still held hope.

Honestly, Yang wasn't sure where she stood. She felt deep down that the Grimm were simply too strong now, the scattered humanity too divided amongst themselves to truly fight back. But then, she'd been fighting for ten years on her own. If she'd truly given up, then she wouldn't have bothered…right?

"Or am I just doing this because I can?" She mused aloud, her voice carried away by the wind. The answer didn't jump out at her, it never did.

She pulled off the main road, turning down a side street. She pulled up alongside the curb, stopping in front of a worn down apartment block. Turning the ignition off, she slid off the bike and made her way inside. The stairwell up to her apartment was poorly lit, lights flickering. The walls were dirty, the floor even more so.

"Ah, home sweet home." She said quietly, strolling up to her door. She reached for the handle like she always did. But as she touched the knob, she paused, narrowing her eyes.

The wood of the door was fractured, bent inward where the bolt rested. She also spotted scrape marks along the door frame, paint chipped where it usually wasn't. She took a step back, mind working quickly. Someone had broken into her room. If they were a thief, they would have left it wide open, and been long gone by now. But whoever this was, had taken special care to try and make it appear like nothing had changed.

Which meant the intruder was still inside.

Yang slammed the door open, fists up and ready. Immediately, she spotted the intruder, standing smack bang in the middle of the room. She wore an elegant looking skirt, as well as a militaristic coat, both white. Ice colored stockings led down into polished white combat boots. The woman had her back turned, but Yang immediately spotted the long, thin blade resting along her hip, a pale hand resting on the handle.

"No way." Yang said, fists slowly coming down.

The woman turned, slowly. Her white hair was tied up in a ponytail, slightly to the side. Just like it used to be. Familiar icy blue eyes analyzed her, cold and calculating. Her skin was flawless, save for a scar running down her left eye.

"No goddamn way," Yang repeated, now glaring.

Weiss Schnee, CEO of the Schnee Dust Company and General of the Atlas military, offered a worn out smile.

"Hello Yang. We need to talk."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey all! Sorry for the delay, been really busy lately! Rest assured that I will be updating on a more regular basis now, and that goes for my other stories as well.**

 **Please be sure to fav/follow if you enjoy, and leave a review to let me know your thoughts.**

 **Now, read on!**

* * *

Chapter Two

"Weiss? What the hell are you doing here?" Yang nearly yelled, jaw straining.

"I need your help. Like I said." Weiss said, her eyes narrowed.

"No, I heard that part. But what are you doing in my apartment? Wouldn't a simple call have worked?" Yang shot back, her fists clenching tightly.

Weiss's eyes shot down to her hands for a split second, before flicking back to Yang's. The movement was so fast, Yang could have easily missed it. "I know you're unhappy."

"You think?" Yang growled, taking a step closer. "We haven't exchanged a single word for years. The last things you said to me were horrible. And now you think you can just waltz in here like you own the place?"

"Let me explain, please," Weiss said quietly, her hands still behind her back.

Yang narrowed her eyes. Just from one look, Yang could tell that Weiss had changed a lot since their last encounter. Rigid and cold, she looked a lot more like the Atlas types Yang had met in the past. The old Weiss had tried to escape all of that. It was the whole reason for her traveling to Beacon in the first place. Now she looked just like the rest of them. She looked stressed, older, but leading an army at war would do that to you.

"I don't want an explanation," Yang muttered, stepping out of the doorway. "I want you to leave. Now."

"But Yang-"

"No dammit! What in the world could be so important for you to track me down like-"

"It's Ruby! Ok?"

Yang blinked, her mouth falling open slightly. Weiss's cold demeanor had changed in a heartbeat, replaced with an urgent worry. She sighed, holding onto her arm and turning away. Weiss suddenly looked a lot more like the friend Yang used to have.

"What…what about her?" Yang asked.

Weiss looked back, the coldness in her eyes gone. "When was the last time you spoke to her?"

Yang paused. Ruby had been the last link to her old life that she'd had. The two had exchanged words via calls over the years, but Yang had stopped calling over two years ago. Ruby had stopped trying as well, once Yang hadn't answered enough calls. Losing that connection had been…hard. But it had also meant Yang was finally free of everything that had pulled her down. It meant she could pursue her own path.

"It's been awhile." She admitted quietly. "I figured she was happy working with you. Don't need her grumpy sister around."

"First of all, you'd be wrong. As I've told you in the past." Weiss said sharply. "And secondly, I know you haven't talked to her. I was being rhetorical."

Yang felt her blood boil. "Then maybe you should just get to the point."

"Fine." Weiss snapped, before looking sad again. "Ruby's missing. She has been for several months now."

"What?" Yang said, eyes going wide. "What do you mean 'missing'? Doesn't she keep in touch?"

"Normally, yes," Weiss said. "She would call in every second day while in the field. It's been like that for ages, her little system. I used to object, but…well, I can't really stop her can I?"

"That's one thing we agree on," Yang said quietly. "Alright, start from the beginning. Where was she going?"

Weiss hesitated. "She…was going to Vale. To study the Grimm there."

Yang had been holding back, but she really had to struggle when the words left Weiss's lips. "Are you insane?!" She yelled.

"Yang-"

"Vale?! The place is a Grimm breeding ground now! What in the world would possess you to order her there?!"

"I didn't!" Weiss shouted, stepping up to Yang. While the two had grown up more, Yang was still much taller. But the look in Weiss's eyes told her that didn't matter. "I told her not too! It was too dangerous, but she insisted. Like I said, how can I stop her?"

"You grab her and hold her until she realized how dumb she's being!" Yang said. "What the hell Weiss? Why don't you just feed your troops to the Grimm next?"

"Don't talk about her like that!" Weiss snarled. "Ruby is smarter than you think, much smarter. I value her over anyone, anything, else. So don't think I just threw her away like you did!"

"I…" Yang uttered, deflating.

Weiss leered at her. "When you ran off, I was all Ruby had left. I was there for her when you _should_ have been. She means more to me than my own life Yang, and certainly more than yours. Accuse me again of not valuing her and I'll make you regret it."

"Sorry, jeez." Yang sighed, hands coming up in defense. "I…didn't mean to upset you. I didn't know…how close are you two exactly?"

"None of your business," Weiss said quietly, a small flash of color popping up on her cheeks.

Yang would have smirked if the situation hadn't proved to be so serious. She took a big breath, before walking over to Weiss. Lightly touching her shoulder, she guided the girl to a couch. Yang sat down without waiting, placing her boots on the small table in front of them. Weiss took the cue, sitting herself down in a much more polite way.

"Alright…" Yang said slowly. "Start from the beginning."

Weiss looked away for a moment as if collecting her thoughts. "Things have gotten worse while you've been hiding in Mistral. Much worse."

"The great war against the Grimm going south?" Yang said sarcastically.

Weiss narrowed her eyes for a second. "Wait and I'll tell you."

She took a breath before continuing. "Atlas has had some success at repelling the Grimm. We've stopped more than one invasion attempt, and each time we won with little casualties. I honestly thought if we held out long enough, we might have been able to expand the territory. Take back land from the Grimm."

"Which of course didn't work out," Yang said, placing her hands behind her head.

"You would be right, unfortunately." Weiss agreed. "Until recently, it was working. The entire continent Atlas is built upon is completely Grimm free, but recently we've encountered some…serious threats. We can't leave to help other kingdoms, not while we're constantly under attack."

"Figures." Yang murmured.

"Will you just shut up and let me speak?" Weiss growled, before coughing and continuing. "Recently, Hunters and Huntresses have been…coming back. From the dead.

Yang blinked. "Uhh, sorry?"

"It's only been the last year or so, but it's true. Humans who share the appearance of Grimm, and the same desire for our destruction."

"Hold on," Yang said, struggling to process what she was being told. "Are you suggesting the Hunters are Grimm? Like, Human Grimm?"

"I'm not sure what to think," Weiss admitted. "They fight alongside the Grimm we know all too well. Not only that, but like the Grimm they die when kept in captivity. They turn to smoke, Yang. It seems whoever Salem is, she's managed to corrupt us. Or at least create Grimm very like us.

"Just like Grimm…" Yang finished, swallowing. "I'm not gonna lie, that's pretty messed up. Are they real people? Like people we know?"

"Some of them I've never even heard of, and others…I've known a little too well," Weiss said quietly. "We don't know anything about them, other than they still act like people. Just…evil, like any morality they had was stripped away. People have started calling them 'Taken'. I think it fits."

"Taken huh?" Yang uttered, feeling a pit in her gut. "No jokes or sarcasm…that sounds horrible. Can you imagine?..."

"I don't have too," Weiss said. She got to her feet, her back to Yang. "I'm not going to lie, things are pretty bleak right now. But I still believe we can win, truly. And…I need your help, Yang. If not for me, do it for Ruby. Please."

Yang took a heavy breath, pushing herself off the couch. She walked over to the tiny window, the dim light of night shining inside the apartment. She looked down at the street below, as people finished last minute tasks and jobs before hurrying home for the night. The people of Minstrel felt safe in their city, but how long would it stay like that?

" _I always knew it couldn't last…"_ Yang thought to herself. _"But if I can do something…can something even be done?"_

"Yang?" Weiss asked quietly. Yang could feel her icy blue eyes on her back.

Yang sniffed, turning around and putting on one of her trademark grins. Or at least, the best she could do. "Alright, you've convinced me. No use hiding out while the world ends, I'm in."

"Really?" Weiss asked, eyes widening for a second. Her emotion betrayed her, and Yang could tell she was surprised at the answer. She wasn't sure how that made her feel.

"Of course, gotta save my sis. And the world while I'm at it." Yang said with a chuckle. "How soon can we leave?"

Weiss smiled curtly, pulling out a Scroll and pressing a button. "Right now."

Yang's smile dropped. "Wait what?"

* * *

The noise of the airship was loud, too loud. It wasn't like the familiar sound of her bike, but alien. Yang could barely stand it, let alone the pure white color scheme. Atlas had always liked to make things with a 'clean' look as if that made them look better to everyone else.

The seats were also uncomfortable, and Yang was forced to fidget a lot to try and sit properly. "So, has Atlas changed much over the years? Did you finally add the dance club I suggested?"

Weiss, sitting opposite her, seemed to ignore the joke. "Atlas is pretty much the same, only better. Once I took charge I made some vast improvements. General layout, outer defenses, and quality of life. All things I've improved upon."

"So the people still live in ignorance?" Yang asked, rolling her eyes.

Weiss missed the barb, shrugging as she looked out over the vast ocean they crossed. "Perhaps. But I like to think that's because I've helped to protect them. The people that work for me have given so much, fought so many battles so they didn't have too. Entirely selfless."

"Oh yeah? Anyone I know?" Yang chuckled.

Weiss smirked lightly, eyes flicking in Yang's direction. "Maybe a few."

Yang frowned, but before she could ask exactly who Weiss was talking about, the two were interrupted. A soldier emerged from the cockpit, offering a salute to Weiss. "General, we are fast approaching Atlas airspace."

"Thank you, soldier. That will be all." Weiss said with a smile. The Soldier lowered his arm but didn't leave.

"Ma'am, we are also receiving a hail on the radio. It's originating from HQ."

Weiss frowned. "Can you tell who exactly is calling?"

"No Ma'am, but it's being sent through emergency channels."

"Must be serious…" Yang muttered. Apparently, Weiss had reached that verdict as well, because she was no longer paying attention to the soldier. She pulled out her Scroll, quickly flicking through different messages and alerts.

One of the alerts was flashing bright red. She pressed it, and the image of a girl appeared on the screen. The girl smiled brightly, her neon green eyes seeming to shine on the screen. A head of bright orange hair bobbed lightly, and her freckles crinkled as she grinned. Yang gasped aloud at the sight of her, recognizing the girl immediately.

"Salutations General Schnee!" Penny Polendina said cheerfully, waving on screen. "I see you got Yang Xiao Long with you, I knew she would say yes!"

"Yes yes," Weiss said, waving a hand dismissively. "Penny, you called on an emergency channel. What's wrong?"

"Oh yes! I was meaning to tell you-"

"Penny?" Yang said slowly, staring down at the small screen with a disbelieving smile. She got out of her seat, taking the one next to Weiss.

Penny shifted her gaze, smile still present. "That's right. Hello Yang! It's been a long time, hasn't it?"

"The longest…" Yang said slowly. "How exactly are you here and talking right now anyway?"

"Oh! Miss Schnee helped to bring me back! She's really great like that."

"Right…but how exactly-"

"Penny," Weiss said, sounding dangerously close to an angry mother. "The emergency?"

"Oh, right! A large force of Grimm is currently attacking the outer district of the city. They've breached the walls and are moving toward HQ!"

"Wha-Why didn't you say so?" Weiss asked angrily, shutting her scroll off. She sighed, rubbing the bridge of her nose with a finger. Yang suddenly realized Weiss looked a lot older now, more like her sister Winter.

"Well, guess you'll be fighting sooner than expected," Weiss said quietly. "I know it's a lot to ask, but I need you to help push the Grimm back."

"I thought you would never ask," Yang said with a smirk. "I'll happily break a few faces."

"Coming up on the city now General." A pilot called out from the cockpit.

Yang leaned over the seat to stare out the window. Below, the ocean gave way to a port, which then gave way to a city of metal. Atlas shone in the morning light brightly, challenging even the sun for shine. The city was vast, stretching far into the horizon. Yang noticed the massive fort like structure near the city center, which she guessed was HQ.

She also noticed the large walls that boxed the city inside, as well as split several districts from one another. As pretty as the city was, it was clear it was built to withstand an attack, one side facing the ocean and the other sides surrounded by large mountain ranges. Like Mistral, it was protected by natural defenses as well.

A column of smoke caught her attention. One of the outer walls now had a massive hole, and Yang could see large black shapes pouring inside. She couldn't make out details from their current height, but it didn't take a genius to guess what they were.

The Grimm had managed to take some ground, spreading out from their entrance point. But Yang could also faintly see flashes of explosions below. The soldiers and others were putting up a fight, and by the looks of it, a really good one.

"Find us a place where we can jump off," Weiss said, opening a hatch beside them. The wind began ripping at Yang's hair as the gust blew in from outside.

"We jumping?" Yang shouted, fighting the wind to be heard.

Weiss nodded. "Yes! No time to land, we've got to get down there. Here, take this!"

Weiss pulled out a small device, almost like an earplug. Yang took it, rolling it around in her fingers. Weiss tapped her own ear, a similar device sitting inside. Yang nodded, placing the bud inside. It fit snugly, easily removable but not likely to fall out.

Weiss tapped the bud in her own ear. "This should make things easier." She said, much clearer now. "Agents on the ground, what's the situation?"

"General?" A male voice asked. To Yang, it had sounded like he'd spoken from right next to her. "You've picked a nice time to rejoin us. We're holding them back but there's a lot of them. Might get overrun soon."

"Don't worry, I've brought back up," Weiss said into the communicator.

"Well, hope your backup is good." Another voice said, this time a woman's. Yang felt like she recognized this one. "Cause we have Taken down here. I count at least five."

"Dammit," Weiss said, cursing. She looked at Yang sharply. "We can't wait any longer, we jump here."

"Way ahead of you," Yang said. She held her arms out wide as she tipped herself over the edge, gravity pulling her down.

The wind bit into her skin, making her shiver. And yet the rush she felt as she fell through the air, the jolt of adrenaline. She hadn't felt something like this in a _long_ time. Fighting against human crooks and local threats was rewarding in of itself, but it lacked a certain…sense of adventure. Yang grinned as she flipped through the air, turning to look up.

Weiss was darting toward the ground at an alarming speed. She'd drawn her sword, diving down to earth like an arrow. She shot past Yang, making no move to slow down. Yang flipped back toward the ground, watching the white streak shoot toward the enemy. She had to admit, she was curious to see how Weiss had changed. And it looked like she was about to find out.

Weiss flicked her rapier at the last second, a slope of ice forming on the ground. She twirled, her boots making contact with the icy slide. She slid down, tumbling through the air over a group of Grimm. She flicked her sword again, this time a hail of razor-sharp ice raining down. The deadly rain sliced into the Grimm, who collapsed and began smoking before Weiss even hit the ground. Weiss landed lightly, before turning and charging toward more Grimm.

"Wow, color me impressed," Yang said, before looking elsewhere. "Time to make an impression of my own."

She looked down, now able to make out much more detail. The streets were trashed, rubble and debris covering the roads and sidewalks. Fortunately, Yang couldn't see any bodies, but she could now see the soldiers fighting fiercely. They fired into the crowds of Grimm, their rifles doing little against the larger and more armored beasts. They needed help, badly.

She also spotted a large Grimm, a Goliath below her. It must have been ancient, easily one of the largest in that area of the city. Its large trunk waved angrily, tusks gleaming dangerously as it began charging toward the front line of troops. Yang grinned, shifting into a dive. She cocked her metal arm back, rolling her fist. She plummeted down, aiming right for the Goliaths' head. With a fierce yell, she launched her punch, landing on top of the Grimm at full force.

The Goliaths legs immediately gave out from underneath, its front legs buckling. It roared as they crashed into the ground. Yang's punch created a huge explosion, the entirety of the monster becoming enveloped in flames. The explosion created a huge ripple, which knocked down other Grimm in the area. Yang grinned, the fire not bothering her in the least. Rolling her neck, she got to her feet, stepping off the now dead Goliaths head. Around her, the other Grimm were getting to their feet, turning to face their new adversary,

She slammed her fists together, creating another shockwave.

"Guess who's back?"

The Grimm answered by growling, charging at her in a pack. Yang chuckled, shrugging. "Have it your way."

A Beowolf lunged at her, claws out. Yang ducked the swipe, feeling the air whiz past her head. She slammed her fist into another, knocking it into a nearby wall with a loud crack. An Ursa dove on her, the bear-like creature throwing its weight on top of her. Yang caught it, grunting. Hand's outstretched, she fired both of her gauntlets, sending it hurtling into the air.

She heard familiar screeches, looking up just in time to dodge a clawed swipe. Several Griffons began circling her from above, diving toward her in coordinated groups. Yang began firing into the air, knocking a few of the bird-like Grimm out of the sky. One flew in like a blur, sharp teeth clamping down on her arm. She growled, twisting her arm so the hand was pointing down its throat. She fired multiple shots from her finger gun, roasting the Grimm from the inside out.

Two more Griffons leaped down, one on each side. They lunged at the same time, teeth and claws at the ready. Yang jumped up, boot planting into the face of one, and fist into another. With a grunt, she shoved them both away, the one behind her landing in a heap. She grabbed one of the Griffons with her metal arm, hand clamping down on its beak. Grinning, she swung it like a makeshift mace, bringing it crashing down onto the other.

A loud roar shook her, making her insides vibrate. Turning, she immediately spotted the large King Taijitu at an intersection close by. The large snake had spotted her, letting out an angry hiss at the sight of its fallen kin. The Grimm slithered rapidly toward her, heavy coils crushing cars under its weight. Yang, instead of running away, ran toward the monster.

The snake paused momentarily, hesitant, but it didn't stop for long. Yang rushed down the street, firing into the ground. She launched herself into the air, hurtling toward the head of the Grimm. It lashed out at her, mouth open wide. Yang landed inside the snake's mouth, arm shooting up to catch its jaw before it closed. She could feel herself straining as the Grimm clenched harder, but her arm held firm.

She fired down its throat with the other arm, letting out a battle cry as she relentlessly attacked. The Taijitu must have realized its peril, because it began to shake its head wildly. Yang held on, firing shot after shot. It let out one final cry, before collapsing in a large smoking pile, black vapor escaping from its mouth.

Yang was thrown clear of the body, landing on her side against the cement road. Groaning, she pushed herself to her feet, the sound of more Grimm growing closer. She shot up as a Beowolf tried to take a bite out of her. She grabbed its arm, hauling it over her head and slamming it into the ground. The road fractured from the force, and the wolf died instantly.

More screeches made her twist, narrowly avoiding a pair of Boar like Grimm. The two rolled around, spinning rapidly as they came around for another pass. Yang cocked her arm back, launching a punch into one as it passed. She sent it rocketing away, the squeals it made going silent as it crashed into a nearby building.

The other boar growled in anger, charging toward her again. This time Yang lashed her hand out, metal palm catching the spinning Grimm. The sounds of metal scraping hurt her ears and the sparks that flew momentarily blinded her. But the Grimm stopped spinning, momentum gone. She cocked her other fist back, landing a satisfying blow on top of its head. She heard a crack as its head hit the ground, smoke billowing out a second later.

More roars caught her attention. Slowly, she turned to look back up the street. Another large group of Grimm were now charging her position, as eager for battle as the group before. Yang was breathing heavily, arm and legs aching from the sudden physical stress.

"They just keep coming…" She gasped, cocking her fist back once more.

"Yeah, they do that."

The voice belonged to the woman she'd heard on the airship. Before Yang could try and guess who it belonged too, the ground around her suddenly exploded under a hail of bullets. Yang yelped, ducking behind a pile of rubble for cover. The bullet storm, however, hadn't been aiming at her. It had been meant for the Grimm.

The wall of bullets stopped the Grimm in their tracks. The large Grimm screeched from the constant assault, collapsing in piles of black smoke. The smaller ones simply exploded from the shots, their vapor flying up into the sky and momentarily blocking out the sun. It was over in seconds, the entire swarm of Grimm either dead or completely erased.

Yang slowly emerged from her cover, now looking where the bullets had come from, at the other end of the street. A woman walked toward her, the groups of soldiers parting as she approached. And while several things were different about her, Yang recognized her immediately.

She now more a much more expensive leather jacket, lined with furs. Her glasses looked much more expensive than they used to as well, lined with some kind of clear gem in the frames. But she wore the same hat, as well as her typical heeled boots that had no place on a battlefield. Her huge Gatling gun was also the same, even more so as it transformed into a handbag. So different, and yet the same, Yang couldn't help but grin.

"Coco?" She asked, placing a hand on her hip. "Never thought I'd see you here of all places."

Coco Adel shrugged, adjusting her sunglasses. "What can I say? Atlas is currently the pinnacle of fashion."

"Uh huh," Yang said. "How long have you been working for Weiss?"

"The General? A while." Coco replied, seemingly avoiding a direct answer. "Besides, I could ask you the same thing. When I heard that Schnee was going to grab help, I never imagined it would be you."

"Yeah, me either," Yang said with a chuckle. "Anyway, enough jokes. What's the situation?"

Coco nodded, gesturing down the street, where the Grimm had come from. "They only have one access point, though it's large enough to let them pour in. We've had attacks before, but never this size. They're also sticking toward main routes to the HQ. It's odd, it's almost as if they're looking for something."

"Well, wouldn't that be the whole point of an attack?" Yang asked before movement caught her eye. "Heads up."

Something was coming out of the black smoke ahead. Yang immediately readied her gauntlets, as Coco took position beside her, machine gun spinning. The few soldiers who remained also lined up beside Yang, their rifles raised and pointed at the unknown.

However, when Yang realized the silhouette had a human shape, she relaxed. "False alarm, they're friendly.

She went to lower her arms, but frowned when Coco kept her gun ready. The woman lifted a finger to her glasses, lowering them down her nose. Her brown eyes glared at the figure as if she knew them.

"Don't be so sure." She muttered, lips drawn thin.

Yang's frown deepened, and she looked at the figure again, this time her eyes straining to make out details. They were definitely human, curves making them appear female. As they came out of the smoke, more and more details were made clear. The girl had long, dark hair. She wore small pieces of armor, mostly a vest and shorts. The rest was an undersuit of some kind. The whole outfit was familiar, but Yang couldn't place her finger on why.

As she got closer, more and more became apparent. The girl was young, close to the age Yang had been when at Beacon. It felt like she _should_ know her, like the name was on the tip of her tongue.

And then she noticed the ears.

The fur was black now and had been hidden by the smoke, but now they were on full display. Yang knew she didn't like people noticing her long, rabbit-like ears, or at least, used to. Her hair was styled exactly the same as it had been, long and thin, billowing down her shoulders. A pair of burning crimson eyes glared at them, a malicious smile aimed in their direction.

"No…" Yang breathed.

"Yep," Coco said, clearly angry.

With a cheerful giggle, Velvet Scarlatina stopped a few meters away from them. "Hey Coco, Yang. No time no see huh?"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Velvet?" Yang asked, hesitating.

"Not anymore," Coco said beside her, hateful glare aimed at the Faunas.

Velvet laughed lightly, similar to the way Yang remembered her doing. Her overall appearance wasn't different, which the exception of the color changes to her outfit and the red eyes. The look she was giving them, however, was something the old Velvet would never have done. It looked predatory, like a cat watching a mouse. Her bright crimson eyes darted at every slight move they made, her faint smile anything but inviting.

"Aw, I'm hurt, Coco." She said, tilting her head. "After all we've been through together. Don't tell me you've forgotten?"

"Shut up." Coco snarled. "You're not her. The real Velvet died saving my life. You're just a monster in her skin."

Velvet mock scowled, obviously not hurt. Her gaze suddenly shifted to Yang, who had to suppress a shiver. She felt like the girl was staring through her. "And what about you Yang? Come crawling out of the hole you live in?"

"How do you know what I've been doing?" Yang asked quietly, trying to keep her voice even.

Velvet shook her head. "Believe what you want, but I _am_ Velvet. I remember you walking out on us all. You didn't care if we could save the world. In fact, I'm willing to bet you'd like it to be all over. Maybe then you could be with your lovely Bla-"

Velvet didn't get another word out, because Yang fired an explosive blast from her gauntlets. The attack caught Velvet by surprise, sending her rocketing back into a heap on the ground. As the smoke cleared, the Faunas immediately shot to her feet, faster than she should have been able too. The mock smile was gone, replaced with a cold glare.

"Nice shot," Coco said.

Yang jumped, nearly forgetting the girl beside her. "Uhh, sorry…"

"Hey, it's cool. Saved me the trouble." Coco said humorously, before looking over at Velvet. "So you done boasting? Because I'm just itching to pull this trigger."

Velvet kept her scowl, hands twitching. "Just so you know, the both of you will be like me after I kill you. Maybe then you'll see just how great it is."

"Oh screw this," Coco muttered. Her chain gun roared to life, bullets whizzing out of the multiple barrels like lightning.

The noise was deafening, the flashes blinding. Yang felt for sure anything caught in Coco's crosshairs would be turned to dust instantly, the thousands of rounds punching through opponents with no trouble. She'd seen it herself, back at Beacon. So when Velvet didn't duck for cover, Yang knew she had a trick up her sleeve.

Suddenly, thousands of rounds started hailing down around her. She gasped, leaping behind a pile of rubble. Coco stopped firing, crouching behind her own cover. Yang chanced a peak, wondering what exactly was firing at them. To her surprise, it was a machine gun exactly like Coco's, only a red hologram. It hovered beside Velvet, shooting on its own.

"Oh come on, you both didn't forget about that did you?" Velvet laughed. "Too bad I don't have a camera to capture this moment."

"I thought she couldn't do that without her little box?" Yang yelled over the bullet fire, glaring at Coco.

Coco nodded. "She couldn't when she was alive. Being Taken does something to peoples semblances, it affects all of them."

Yang cursed quietly to herself, chancing another peak. Velvet was standing in the middle of the street, watching as her floating gun chewed through their cover. The buildings on either side could provide cover, allowing Yang to get closer to the Taken girl. But she'd need to get up to a roof, and without becoming holy. She looked for a doorway close by, something she could make a run for. But most of the lower floors were smashed, and lacked access.

Yang looked back at Coco. The girl's glasses had fallen off, in two pieces at her feet. Coco was leaning out of cover, firing her massive gun in short bursts. How she hefted that thing like a regular weapon was beyond her, but it gave Yang an idea. "Coco!"

Coco blinked her way, annoyed. "What?"

"Cover fire!" Yang yelled, jumping out of cover.

Velvet's gun targeted her instantly, spitting rounds her way. Yang ran, a few bullets grazing her. Her Aura deflected the shots, but they still made her wince. She slid into more cover, closer to Velvet now. The machine gun fired so many shots Yang wouldn't have been able to count them, and her small hiding spot began to grow smaller.

"Oh Yang, you never were very smart." Velvet chuckled. "You know, it's nice that I can say that now."

Bullets suddenly started hailing down on Velvet. The girl hissed, twisting away from the shots and hiding behind a flipped car. Yang heard Coco shout something, followed by more bullets. Velvet's gun turned away from Yang, firing in Coco's direction. Coco kept up the fire, aiming for the gun. Bullets whizzed by both directions, nowhere particularly safe.

Yang noticed part of a shops roof had collapsed, creating a makeshift ramp. It also overlooked Velvets cover, providing the perfect path to the girl. Yang checked she was clear, the shootout still distracting Velvet. Yang took her chance, barreling out of her cover and running for the shop roof. Velvet saw her, but couldn't get her gun to turn in time. Yang dove, landing on the broken roof just as the gunfire tore up the spot she'd been moments before.

"Hey, focus on me, you traitor!" Coco said, running for a piece of closer cover. Velvet's eyes darted to the girl, and she resumed her attack. Yang didn't know if she'd just forgotten about her, or if Velvet just didn't care, but she wasn't going to question it.

She ran up the makeshift ramp, coming to a stop at the roof's edge. She'd been right, her new vantage point directly about Velvet. Without hesitation, she leapt and fired into the ground as she fell. The explosive fire surrounded Velvet, earning a growl from the girl. Yang brought her boots crashing down on the girls head, pushing her to the ground. Velvet fell, moving into a roll and springing back up. Yang was on her, fists flying in explosive strikes.

Velvet chuckled, shifting her hands. Suddenly, she was holding two familiar swords. One was thick and rectangular, while the other was thinner. It only took a second for Yang to recognize them as Blake's swords. They were mockeries of the real ones, holographic and red like the machine gun. But the sight made her blood boil all the same.

Velvet parried her punch, keeping her face close to Yangs. "I thought you might appreciate these. Better than being killed by Jaune's sword, right?"

Yang shoved her away, narrowing her eyes. "What the hell happened to you? How could such a nice girl become…this?"

Velvet darted closer, swinging her blades identically to Blake. Yang recognized the attack and flipped over Velvet as she passed by underneath. As Yang fell back, she lashed out with a boot, hitting Velvet in the back. The girl hissed, getting to her feet.

"I'm better now than I ever was!" She shouted, glaring hatefully. "Before I was too meek to fight back against anyone! Cardin, Mercury, all of you! I've got the strength to fight back now."

Yang raised her arm, the tough metal blocking an overhead swing. Yang spun her other arm around, driving a fist into Velvet's throat. The girl gagged, leaping away and creating distance between them. "No Velvet, all I see is a shadow of you. A puppet used by the enemy. Can't you fight it? Surely the old Velvet is still in there."

Velvet grinned cruelly, lightly shaking her head. "This is me, what don't you understand? Like it or not, all of us are the same as before. We've just had our eyes open."

Yang frowned. "In what way?"

Velvet didn't answer, instead gesturing with her hands again. Blake's swords vanished, replaced by another weapon, just as familiar. A massive, red scythe. Too big to use easily, and yet the girl who created it proved time and again she could. Yang felt her blood boil again, narrowing her eyes as Velvet twirled the fake Crescent Rose in her hands.

Velvet suddenly burst into movement. She threw the scythe, the blade spinning toward her in a deadly arc. Yang ducked, the blade narrowing missing her head. Yang sprang forward, but her head suddenly exploded with pain. She crashed into the ground, her jaw throbbing with pain. Struggling to focus, Yang realized Velvet had summoned more weapons, two gauntlets on her hands.

Yang didn't miss the irony of being knocked down by her own weapons, but she didn't have the luxury to dwell on it. She tried getting up, but Velvet was on her like lightning. She landed another solid punch into her chest. Her Aura absorbed most of the punch, but her ribs still hurt. She gasped, the wind leaving her lungs.

Velvet laughed, gauntlets vanishing into the air. The scythe returned to her, spinning right into her hand. Velvet stared down at her with a smug look, her red eyes glittering. Yang struggled to push the girl off, but Velvet was far stronger than she should have been. Probably something to do with being Taken.

"Yang!" She heard Coco shout. The girl was darting out of her cover, firing openly in the street. Yang realized the shots could easily hit her as well as Velvet, but she couldn't move out of the way. Velvet however, didn't seem phased.

She yawned in a mocking fashion, gesturing with a free hand. The machine gun suddenly sprang up in front of her, opening fire at Coco. Or rather, at her shots. Somehow, none of Coco's rounds made it toward them, the holographic gun shooting them out of the air.

"Well Yang," Velvet said, getting her attention. "Can't say it was nice to see you again. But hey, you'll be like me soon enough. It's awesome! You have no idea. The power…"

"I think I'd rather be dead than a knock off of myself," Yang said, smirking in pain.

Velvet dropped her smile. "Well, at least your death's going to mean something. Unlike Blake's. Girl died for nothing."

Yang felt an inferno explode inside her.

With a savage roar, she shoved the girl off her, sending her flying a good few feet back. Velvet cried out in surprise, rolling to a stop. She began to get up, but Yang landed on top of her, fists swinging. Velvet struggled to move her, but Yang felt indestructible. She slammed punch after punch into the girl, explosions shaking the both of them.

She grunted as the scythe sliced into her back, but she shrugged the attacks off, her Aura blocking the worst of it. All that mattered was Velvet turned into a smoking pile, reduced to nothing. With a snarl, she grabbed the girl by the throat and threw her into a building. Velvet flew through the weakened wall, staring a chain reaction as the entire building came down on top of her.

Yang stood there, panting as her body emitted steam. She heard Coco run up beside her, but she didn't offer a look. Her eyes were glued to the hole in the wall Velvet had made. If she'd survived, Yang would just have to throw her into another wall.

"Look out!" Coco shouted, pulling Yang down to the ground.

Yang heard something massive miss her by a hair, the wind blowing as it passed. She looked up, rage vanishing as a Nevermore landed next to the building Velvet was inside of. It cawed, flapping its wings toward her and Coco. Yang grunted as the gust pushed them back and sent her hurtling into some stray debris. She hissed as the rubble grazed her hand, her palm stinging.

It cawed again, leaning down as an injured, but very alive Velvet emerged from the building. She climbed up on the birds back, glaring hatefully at the two of them. "This isn't over, but I can't die now. My master has a higher purpose for me."

"Your master? You mean Salem?" Coco grunted, gingerly getting to her feet.

Velvet nodded, eyes lighting up. "She has plans, Coco. She's going to change the world. If only you could know how…"

Before Yang could ask, the Nevermore cawed again. It flapped its wings a few more times, getting airborne. Yang could only watch as it, and Velvet, were carried away by the wind, retreating over the high-rises and toward the mountains bordering Atlas.

"The heck was that all about…" Yang grunted, pushing herself up.

Coco shrugged, breathing heavily. "We don't know. Honestly I probably know as much as you. I'm sure the General knows more…"

"Oh! Weiss!" Yang said, suddenly remembering her friend. "She was battling Grimm close by. She might need a hand."

Coco nodded, bringing a finger to her ear. "This is Agent Adel. I need the location of the General, ASAP."

The comms in Yang's ear crackled to life, the sounds of yelling and gunfire sharp. "This is squad echo. We've got eyes on the General in the town square. Multiple Taken are inbound. We need-"

The voice cut out, replaced by Static. Coco swore, staring down the street with a hard glare. "Dammit. The town square is just down Main Street, that way. If we hurry, we might make it in time."

"Then let's stop standing around," Yang said, already moving. She hurried down the road Coco had gestured too, the Huntress right behind her.

* * *

Around them was evidence of fighting. Buildings were in ruin, the roads and sidewalks littered with holes and cars in smoking heaps. There were also bodies, mostly guards in Atlas uniform but a few Yang had to guess were Hunters. She didn't look too close, in case she recognized any of the bodies. They raced through the streets, the ever present sound of fighting growing closer.

Soon enough Grimm bodies began showing up as well, smoking piles of black. Which meant they must have been getting closer, as a Grimm body was only around when it was fresh. Sure enough, the duo rounded a bend and found a far more intense fight than the one Yang had fought.

The square, because that was its actual shape, was the center of an all-out war. Soldiers and Hunters fought against an endless wave of Grimm, who were pouring through a large hole in the city's wall. Creatures of all shapes and sizes lunged and clawed at the resistance, the soldiers fighting back with seemingly endless determination.

But the Grimm were turning the tide. Yang could see as every moment passed by, one less soldier would be standing. Even the few Hunters scattered about were being overwhelmed. Yang had never seen this many Grimm before, their entry point a moving black mass.

"I just don't get it," Coco said, looking at the destruction. "What the hell could be worth all this? Why throw away so many Grimm?"

Yang went to answer but stopped when her eyes spotted Weiss. The Heiress was fighting beside a monument of some sort, the Atlas symbol etched into the monolith. She faced two opponents, one familiar and the other a mystery.

The first one she recognized instantly. Weiss's own sister, Winter Schnee. Her Atlas outfit was now in black, but otherwise it was definitely her. She was trading blows with Weiss, the two parrying each other's jabs and thrusts faster than the eye could follow. Winters red eyes still managed to be cold as she tried to kill her own flesh and blood. Weiss, in turn, stared back just as icily, though Yang knew better than to think the girl really didn't care.

The other one was someone she'd never met before. He was wearing a long robe, the coat tail grazing the ground as he moved. A long hoot covered most of his pale face, grimaced lips the only thing visible. He wasn't exclusively fighting Weiss, instead turning on any of the soldiers who tried to intervene. He wielded two large guns, which spat out shrapnel that blew through opponents at close range.

"We have to get over there!" Yang yelled, running into the fray. Coco was right behind her, opening fire on the nearest Grimm.

Yang punched her way through the crowds, Grimm bodies flying to the sides as she charged through the hordes. Claws and teeth raked her arms and legs, but she just pushed them off, determined to reach Weiss. A Beowolf latched onto her leg, teeth chomping down. The bite broke through her Aura, teeth sinking into her leg. Yang roared in pain, grabbing the wolfs head and prying it loose.

It snarled at her, lashing out with a claw. She leaned back, offering her own snarl. She swung it forward as a battering ram, knocking several other Grimm out of her way. The Beowolf whimpered as she brought it crashing down on the others before she dropped it like she would an empty bottle.

She managed to catch sight of Weiss while she had some space. She was still fighting against Winter, though Yang could see she was beginning to tire. Her thrusts were slower, parries coming just in time to save her. Her sister on the other hand was pressing her advantage, twin swords flashing faster and faster. Yang guessed Weiss couldn't hold out for much longer, and she would be damned if she let that girl die now, after everything.

"Get out of my way!" She shouted, smacking a Grimm aside. She began barging through the hordes, shoving away those that got too close. But the Grimm began all piling on top of her, as if knowing what she was up too. She grunted, prying gripping hands away. But more would just replace them.

"Yang!" Coco shouted from far back. She was still close to where they'd begun, mowing down Grimm as she moved closer. Unfortunately, Yang realized, it wasn't going to be fast enough.

A sudden cry made her head spin back around. Weiss had dropped her sword, arm now bright red with blood. She came down in a roll, trying to retrieve the weapon, but Winter kicked it away. She shoved a boot into Weiss's face, knocking the girl down. Weiss moaned, struggling to get up.

Then Winter thrust a blade through her shoulder.

Yang roared, fighting with renewed vigor. She punched and kicked at the horde of Grimm on her, trying to get some wriggle room. But the Grimm were determined to keep her down, not actively trying to kill her. It was like the soldiers, just being killed if they interfered. Yang struggled and struggled, but even her amazing strength couldn't move the horde. She could only watch as Winter leaned down to face her sister.

Weiss whimpered, hand gingerly touching her shoulder. Winter seemed to scoff, cold eyes staring into her sisters. "You were always a disappointment. Father thought so, and so do I. You disgrace the Schnee name."

"…No," Weiss said, speaking through her pain. "I'm the only one worthy of it. You…never were."

"Whatever helps your passing," Winter said, standing back up. She twirled her other sword, before aiming it at Weiss's throat. "Take comfort in knowing you won't be coming back. I'm the only Schnee the Master needs."

Yang felt like time slowed down at the blade made its way toward Weiss's neck. She tried one last time to pry herself free, but the Grimm were too numerous. She watched, eyes wide as the thin weapon got closer and closer to ending her friend's life.

Winter suddenly cried out. Yang looked on as someone from the crowd, her hand outstretched and glowing red. Winter was pushed off her feet, sword clattering to the ground as it grazed Weiss's neck. The stranger came to a stop right in front of Weiss, blocking her off from her attackers. Winter hit the ground, rolling to a stop before standing, a look of genuine surprise on her face.

Yang frowned, analyzing this new fighter. The girl had dark hair, which tumbled down just past her shoulders. She wore a waist length coat, which lacked sleeves and exposed her pale arms. The coat was also dark in color, with red patterns on the back. A loose white singlet was underneath, seemingly too big for her. She had dark red tight pants, as well as a pair of tattered boots. She tucked her hands into her pockets, sniffing as she looked up at Winter with a raised brow.

Yang felt her heart speed up as she realized the girl's eye color. As red as Winters and Velvets, the crimson was startling. This girl had to be a Taken, she had the same colors and eyes. But then, why save Weiss? The girl looked down at Weiss, suddenly smirking in an amused fashion.

"You know, despite the fact you treat me like a prisoner, I'm glad I got here in time." She said, seemingly ignoring all the fighting around them.

Weiss blinked up at her, a grimace appearing. "That's because you _are_ a prisoner…how did you get out?"

The girl shrugged. "The front door? How do you think, I broke out genius."

"Saphron…" Weiss hissed. "I told you to stay inside…"

"And miss all the fun? I haven't had an opportunity to stretch since lord knows how long." The girl, Saphron commented.

Yang blinked, truly confused. Who was this girl? Where had she come from, and why was she talking to Weiss like that? From the sounds of it…she was a prisoner? Given her taken appearance, maybe she'd been captured in battle…but then why be so casual? Yang shook her head, paying attention.

Winter was on her feet, and yet she'd made no move to attack. She was staring at the girl in confusion. "Soldier, what are you doing?"

Saphron turned, brows raised at the question. "Who, me? Well, I was thinking I'd get something to drink after this little battles over. I hear coffee's great, though I can't say if I've had it or not."

"Shut up." Winter said, no humor in her voice. "How can you be doing this? The Master commands us, commands you-"

"The master? Sounds kinda dumb." Saphron said, stretching. "I haven't got the clue what you're on about lady, but if you could, you know, buzz off. I'd appreciate it."

Winter's frown deepened, then turned into a scowl. "Nobody ignores the Masters commands. You will join the attack."

Saphronpaused, as if considering. "Hmm, how about instead, we go try this coffee I've heard about. Sounds like a much better use of my time."

"You little-"Winter growled, before catching herself. She breathed deeply, composing herself. "If you won't obey, then you are an enemy. I will have to destroy you."

"Geeze, dinner first." The girl said, but she shifted into a more defensive posture, covering Weiss with her own body.

"Move," Winter ordered.

"Not gonna happen," Saphron said, her hands splayed and glowing that eerie red again. "I rather like this place, when I'm not in a cell. Don't think I want it destroyed, so I'll have too…in your own words 'destroy you'.

Winter snarled, before making a gesture. Yang had been so caught up in the strange turn of affairs, she'd forgotten about the other Taken, the hooded guy. When she looked for him, she couldn't see him. Suddenly, her eyes caught movement, a growing shadow emerging behind Saphron…

"Watch out!" She yelled, punching another Grimm off of herself.

Saphron turned just in time. The man emerged from the shadow, brandishing his two large weapons. He opened fire, each shot firing shredded metal. The girl put out her hand, red energy appearing around her. Whatever it was, it blocked the bullets, which hit her force field and fell to the ground. Saphron gestured with a hand, firing off a blast of red energy. The man ducked, darting in close and firing again.

Yang turned her attention away from the fighting pair back to Weiss. She had managed to pry the sword out of her shoulder and was clutching at the wound. She struggled to stand, clearly battling her injuries. Yang also noticed Winter had returned her attention to her sister and was marching over. Yang didn't have to guess what she intended.

She glanced at the Grimm piling on her. Some had turned their attentions elsewhere, abandoning their task in favor of attacking nearby soldiers. Some had moved to pursue Coco, who was firing into the hordes as she made her way over. The Grimm pinning her down were significantly less than before, enough that she might be able to fight her way out. She snarled, balling her fists and preparing a massive explosion from her gauntlet.

The fire suddenly enveloped her and the Grimm as she struck. The Grimm squealed, wriggling off her as they burned alive. Yang launched herself forward, limbs surging with power as her semblance kicked in. She yelled a battle cry as she flew into Winter, catching the woman by surprise. Before Winter could retaliate, Yang fired a blast from her arm, bathing the woman in flames. Winter yelled in alarm, struggling in Yang's grasp.

Yang gripped her tightly, cocking her arm back before launching Winter with a powerful strike. Winter flew through the air, hitting the ground with a loud bang. The fire faded, leaving Winter in a small, smoking crater. Incredibly, she got up as if unhurt, turning her gaze to Yang.

"Oh, well if it isn't Weiss's most disappointing friend." She said dully. "I'm amazed you're not dead."

"Been getting a lot of that," Yang said with a shrug. She looked down at Weiss, softening her face. "You alright?"

"I'll live…" She mumbled, legs shaking as she got to her feet. "But we need to push them back. My troops can't hold out…any longer."

"Then you'll lose." Winter said. "My soldiers are far superior. I never knew how amazing the Grimm could be until I was able to command them. A joy you'll never know sister."

"Like anyone would want to know that," Yang said, taking a protective step in front of Weiss.

Winter shrugged. "It hardly matters. You cannot beat me, even if you both fought. I will finish you both, then end this pathetic kingdom. Soon, my master will usher in a new-"

She was interrupted as the Taken man hurtled into her, a red energy blast pushing into his chest. Winter managed to side step the man as he hit the ground, groaning faintly. He didn't get up, merely rose to his arms and looked over his shoulder.

Saphron stepped up beside them, her whole body glowing that same bright red. "For the bad guys, you talk an awful lot."

Winter glared. "You. How dare you-"

"Look ice queen." She said, sending a jolt through Yang. "You might be able to beat these two. But all three of us? You wanna take that chance? Because I'm good either way."

Winter stopped, pausing. Her eyes narrowed as she considered her options, glancing around the courtyard. Yang looked behind them, realizing Coco and the other Hunters had managed to begin repelling the Grimm. They'd even gained ground, slowly but surely driving them back toward the wall.

Yang turned back, offering her own grin. "You've lost Winter. Unless you wanna end up a smoking pile like your buddies, you should run."

"Oh, I like that," Saphron commented.

Winter glared at them all, not saying a word. Without any prompt, the man raised a hand and placed it on her leg. The two suddenly vanished, disappearing into shadowy smoke, the same way the man had used earlier. Yang waited a few seconds longer to make sure they weren't preparing an ambush or trap.

They didn't come back.

She breathed a sigh of relief, letting her body relax. All the injuries she'd sustained suddenly felt much worse. All she wanted to do was sit down somewhere and sleep, though her injuries were nothing compared to Weiss. Yang turned to tell Weiss how lucky she was, only to swear as the heiress began to fall over. Yang managed to catch her before she hit the ground, standing up with Weiss in her arms.

"You're not dying are you?" Yang asked. "You'd better not, I didn't come here just so you could die."

"Since when…do you boss me around?" Weiss asked with a weak chuckle, clutching her arm.

Yang smirked. "Since now, General."

Yang looked back up as the nearby Grimm turned tail and began running through the hole they'd entered from. The Hunters around them all roared in victory as they chased the last few out. Yang had to suppress a yawn, her body's fatigue catching up with her.

"The General's going to need medical aid," Coco said, walking over to them. "Bring her along, you could probably use a checkup to Yang."

"Not gonna complain, as long as I can sit." She chuckled.

"So, did we win?" Saphron asked, looking around in apparent confusion.

Yang frowned at first, but then chuckled. She still had no clue who this person was, but at that moment she didn't really care.

"Yeah, we won."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Saphron sighed, tapping her heel against the table she rested her legs on. The small room she'd been confined too was very familiar to her by now, though it wouldn't have taken long to get acquainted with. With the exception of the table, two chairs and a bed, there really wasn't much else noteworthy. This cozy room had been her home for weeks now, and she was going stir crazy.

The attack on the city had been interesting, especially as the men guarding her room had left. She'd finally gotten to see what the outside of this place looked like. In her opinion, it was much too shiny. Like some kind of future city someone would see in a comic. How'd she even know that? She had no clue.

She sighed, bringing a hand up to her forehead and rubbing. She'd been getting severe headaches since her time here, and nothing seemed to make them go away. That, combined with flashes of memory she couldn't really piece together, was leaving her in a bit of a jumbled mess.

Saphron perked up as the door to her little prison opened up, a man walking through casually. He smirked at her, light gray eyes twinkling with mischief. His short hair matched his eyes. In fact, his whole outfit was a variety of grays, from the under suit he wore to the pieces of armor on his arms and legs. She grinned back, moving her legs off the table. Out of everyone she'd met in this place, Mercury Black was one of the few who didn't treat her like some kind of monster.

"Hey red, how's things?" He asked, setting himself down in the chair opposite her.

"Well, I'm still not allowed to leave, so the usual." She said. "You missed quite the fight by the way, the city got invaded."

"Yeah, I noticed the giant hole in the wall," Mercury commented, shaking her head with a chuckle. "Shame I missed it, been a little while since I've gotten a good fight."

"Don't you go out on missions for that General chick all the time?" Saphron asked, perking a brow.

Mercury shrugged. "They're not nearly as exciting as you'd think. A lot of hiding and avoiding conflict."

"Whatever," Saphron said, leaning an arm on the table, head resting in her hand. "I got to see the outside for once. How does anyone sleep with the amount of shine it has?"

Mercury smirked. "I heard about that as well. Schnee was…less than impressed, even with her injury."

Saphron shook her head. "Did she mention how I saved her pale butt?"

"Actually, she did. Kinda why I'm here." Mercury said quietly.

She had only been paying half attention to the guy before, her mind still going over the same memory's and images she'd been seeing for weeks. But his comment caught her full attention, eyes going slightly wider and without a witty comment. Mercury chuckled, reaching into a small pack he carried.

"I thought that might get your attention." He said, looking for something in the pack. "The General's aware of how you saved her. If you'd really wanted too, you could have just gone with the Taken."

"But I don't even know anything about them," Saphron said, unable to keep the irritation out of her tone. "You people keep asking, and I keep saying the same thing."

"Hey hey, I believe you," Mercury replied. "But not many other people have. At least, until now. By the way, remember anything?"

Saphron frowned, closing her eyes as she tried to focus on one image at a time. Whenever she got close, however, her mind would flare up in pain and she'd lose the thought. She growled in frustration and tapped her head several times.

"Nope, just as jumbled as before." She said quietly.

Mercury offered a more sincere smile this time. "It's not all bad. I brought you something, thought it would cheer you up."

He finished ruffling through his bag and pulled out a metal bottle, placing it on the table with a dull thud. Saphron frowned, tilting her head slightly. The bottle looked hot, condensation trickling down the sides and emitting faint steam. She looked back up at Merc with a perked brow.

"The heck is that?"

"That," Merc said. "Is coffee. You mentioned how you wanted to try some last time we talked. I thought you might appreciate it."

She blinked, eyes looking between Merc and the drink several times. "I…should have something funny here, but I'm coming up blank."

Merc laughed. "How about thank you? Anyway, that's not all. Schnee asked to see you, I actually came her to grab you."

"You know, you could have started with that and not wasted time."

"What can I say? I like to chat." Merc said with a grin, pushing himself out of his seat. "Anyway, if you wanna stay in this tiny room, that's cool. But if you want to get out of here, then let's go."

Saphron couldn't help but grin back, sliding out from her chair with little effort. She made to grab the bottle on her way up, but it was hotter than she expected. A lot hotter. She gasped, dropping it onto the floor with a loud bang. Thankfully, it didn't burst open and splash coffee everywhere. She grumbled to herself, reaching down and picking it back up, carefully this time.

"If you're done being a goofball?" Merc asked, holding the door open with a perked brow.

"You love me." She shot back. Without another word, she strolled out of her tiny prison and out into some long hallway. She looked down both sides, but both looked identical. She sniffed, picking one at random and walking off.

Merc called out from behind her. "It's the other way genius."

Saphron turned without pause, strolling back the other way without a single look. "I knew that."

Merc laughed, walking beside her. "Whatever red."

They came round a corner to find yet more long corridors, with doors that led into small rooms like the one she'd been in. Saphron hadn't been entirely sure, and she hadn't really checked when she'd busted out, but the place really was reminding her of a prison.

"So," Merc began, looking ahead. "Did you crack a few skulls for me while I was away? How many Grimm were there? I heard there was a lot."

"It was like an ocean. Of Grimm." She replied. "Those Taken things you were talking about were there, being annoying."

Merc nodded. "Yeah, that they are…"

She looked up at him, frowning. His usual cheerful demeanor had shifted to something darker, his expression something close to sadness. Or, as sad as Mercury could get. All the same, it wasn't something Saphron was used to seeing on him.

"Hey, there was some new chick out there as well." She said with a laugh, trying to cheer him up again. "At least, that was the gist I got from the rest of them."

Merc raised a brow, a small smile returning. "Oh? New recruit or something?"

"She didn't fight like a recruit," Saphron commented, her smile growing wider. "She lifted a whole pile of Grimm by herself and threw them like they weighed nothing. Long Blonde hair, likes punching. She was really something."

Merc frowned again, though this time he looked more thoughtful or confused than sad. Saphron tapped him with the back of her hand, getting his attention again. "What's wrong?"

"Hmm?" He said, focusing on her again. "It's nothing. Come on, don't wanna keep the General waiting do we?"

He walked faster, moving ahead of her. She sighed, mentally scolding herself for making her _one_ friend here miserable. _"Ah well, he'll get over it..."_

A heat in her head suddenly stirred her out of her stupor. She'd completely forgotten the metal bottle she'd been holding, which had cooled enough now that she felt she could drink it. Keeping pace with Mercury, she cautiously unscrewed the lid and pulled the bottleneck closer to her face. She took a cautious sniff, though she couldn't tell much about it from the smell. Frowning to herself, she lifted the bottle and took a swig, the warm rich taste of the drink filling her mouth.

"Oh my god."

Merc turned back around, eyes slightly narrowed. "What?"

She looked up at him and grinned. "This stuff is amazing. Where can I get more?"

* * *

Yang sighed. She swore she could feel a nerve ticking on her forehead. "Weiss, you're dodging the question. Why can't I go find my sister right now? Why wait?"

Weiss looked just as agitated. She sat behind some grandiose desk, in what looked like a rather comfy leather chair. Yang couldn't help but notice her bandaged shoulder, arm in a makeshift sling. She wore a military type coat over her shoulders, the sleeves dangling by her sides empty. She also looked a lot paler than normal, and that was saying a lot.

"Because, Yang, I don't want you going off on your own," Weiss said as calmly as she could. "I'm gathering up some people to go with you. You know, team mates."

"What, you don't trust me to get the job done?" Yang scoffed.

"No," Weiss said, mouth dangerously close to becoming a sneer. "Because Ruby is in Vale. Vale is completely owned by the Grimm. I don't even have recon on that area, we have no idea what it looks like now. So, the more people on this, the better."

"More people leaves more room for error." Yang shot back, resting her hands on Weiss's desk. "A smaller team is going to be able to slip in easier. And I can do it much faster alone."

"Yang, this is my mission. You're doing this my way."

"She's my sister!"

"She's my partner!"

Yang glared at Weiss, who was glaring right back. She was dimly aware of the few guards standing guard in Weiss's office were shifting uncomfortably, but she didn't really care. Weiss was being beyond stubborn. Yang knew she could do it easier alone, after all, she had been doing just fine all these years. She felt dangerously close to telling Weiss to shove it but knew that wouldn't help anyone. So she held her tongue. For now anyway.

Weiss suddenly broke the eye contact, resting her forehead in her hand. "I'll start looking at people for the mission, but for now, I've got other matters to attend too. If you could…just go."

Yang blinked, shaking her head. "No. I'm not some goon you can just boss around, _General."_

Some of the guards seemed to stir at her sarcastic words, but to their credit they didn't try to throw her out or anything. Weiss looked taken aback as well, her eyes wide. "What's your problem, Yang? And I mean really, this can't just be about waiting for team mates."

"I'm back for an hour, and you're bossing me around like I'm an underling." Yang scowled. "Should I remind you that it was you who broke into my home?"

"Because I thought you would like to help with finding Ruby!" Weiss shouted, her façade slipping. She shot out her seat, hands slamming down on the desk. Her face crinkled up in fury, icy white eyes promising violence. "You know what your problem is? Ever since your injury, you have to prove that you can do everything."

Yang felt her anger leave her for a second. "I…"

"No, just shut up for once!" Weiss said, civility gone. "You're the one who ran away! You're the one who decided being alone was the right choice! You're the one who left your own sister a crying wreck! How dare you stand there and say I'm the one doing wrong?!"

Yang brought her hands up slowly. "Weiss…"

"If you hate being bossed around so much, maybe I'll just drop you off back at Mistral, where you can stay in her crumbling home and wait for the world to end, while the rest of us do something about it! How about it Yang?!"

"Ok! Just stop yelling for a second!" Yang shouted back, fire in her veins again. "Look…we've got a lot between us, I know that. But I came here to help my sister. And I think we can agree we both care about her a lot…right?"

"I'd argue I care more, but sure," Weiss said quietly.

Yang sighed, just relieved she'd stopped yelling. "Not the point. I'm going to help find Ruby Weiss, no matter how it's done. But you can't just boss me around like the rest of your army. It's just not going to work."

Weiss paused, a small frown marring her features. She looked down at the table for what felt like a minute. Yang couldn't tell if she was thinking or just trying to regain her composure. Regardless, when she looked back up she had the same neutral expression she usually wore, with the exception for a small smile.

"You know, you're right…what if I pick a group of people, and then you pick from the candidates?"

Yang's brows shot up, completely surprised. "You…would do that?"

"Yes, I would," Weiss said softly, sighing. "I can't let you just run off, but I can't treat you like everyone else. That's…never worked in the past. So I think a nice compromise would work out well."

Yang considered it. "That's really big of you Weiss, thanks. I'll wait for your choices. How many do you want on this team?"

"No less than four," Weiss said with a small smile. "Think of it like the good old days."

Yang chuckled breathlessly, giving her a pointed look. "Well, hopefully not. Otherwise, two people on the team are going to hook up."

Weiss's cheeks went a light shade of pink, and for once she didn't have an immediate retort. Yang grinned, laughing a little more. "Oh Relax Weiss, I'm not making fun. My sister's a fun person, though I feel like you must know that better than anyone."

Weiss's mouth opened in a silent 'O'. "That's not-"

She was interrupted by a guard at the entrance to the office. "General, while I hate to interrupt. Agent Black has arrived."

Weiss's expression changed in an instant, from one of embarrassment to one of shock. Her eyes flicked between Yang and the door as if she really didn't want to see whoever was about to walk in. Yang frowned. "I don't understand. What's the issue?"

Weiss struggled for words, before just sighing and seeming to give up. "Oh what the hell, it would have happened sooner or later…send him in."

Yang's confusion only grew as she looked on as the door opened. What she assumed was going to be one person was actually two, walking in one at a time. The first was familiar, the girl she'd seen earlier in the town center. Saphron was looking around the office space like she'd never seen it before. Then again, she probably hadn't. Weiss hadn't mentioned much about her but what she did say made it clear she wasn't free to walk around. Yang didn't know if that was entirely fair on the girl but didn't comment.

The second person, a man, confused her at first. Tall and thin, he wore dark leather clothing underneath polished metal armor pieces. His gray eyes twinkled, matching his dark gray hair. He looked like a capable fighter, but more importantly, Yang recognized him within seconds.

Her fists clenched up.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Yang growled, certain her eyes were going red as her semblance started kicking in.

Mercury blinked, looking just as shocked as she felt. "Blondie? What is this?"

Yang could feel herself trembling. Mercury was one of the bed guys. In her opinion, he was one of the worst bad guys. He'd been key in the destruction of Vale, and one of Cinders main men. Not to mention he humiliated her in the Vytal Tournament, making her look like some blood thirsty monster. It had taken her years to get over that, and she still felt the sting of it from time to time. Yang was honestly amazed she hadn't gone in for a kill yet.

"Both of you, calm down now," Weiss said with authority, though Yang didn't budge. And neither did Mercury.

He chuckled. "Huh, so she finally came crawling out of the woodwork. Did she come to beg forgiveness General?"

"Oh, I'll make you beg," Yang said quietly, mentally straining herself to not charge forward. She was barely controlling herself. All it would take was one small push…

"Like your friend must have begged Adam?" Merc said, smirking.

The room went silent. Even Weiss didn't say a word. Yang just sighed, fingers rolling into fists.

"Yep."

She moved, faster than she thought possible. Her fist slammed into his face with a satisfying crack, explosion rocketing him into one of the office walls. He hit it hard, falling to the floor with a grunt. He chuckled, getting to his feet slowly.

"You know, we never settled our dispute from all those years ago." He said, still smirking. "What's the matter? Planning to run again?"

"I've only got one thing on my mind," Yang growled. "And it involves breaking your legs properly. I didn't finish the job last time."

"Ohhhh, scary." Mercury scoffed.

He suddenly lunged into action, even faster than she had. He spun through the air, leg flying down onto her head in a blur. Her crown exploded with pain as she grunted, dropping to the floor. She shook her head, trying to clear her vision. Her eyes focused just as a booted heel come flying for her face. She quickly shot her hand out, grabbing his leg and twisting. Merc shouted in surprise, flipping and landing on his stomach. Yang pushed herself back up, cracking her knuckles.

"Stop this now!" Weiss shouted from behind Yang.

She ignored her, instead firing several shots at Mercury from her gauntlets. Mercury managed to dodge all of her shots, running in close and lashing out with a low kick. Yang jumped, the leg passing under her, and went for his face. Merc was forced onto the defensive, trying to block her strikes and retreating slowly. Yang pressed her attack, firing off hits relentlessly.

Mercury suddenly shot a knee into her gut. Yang gasped as the wind left her, and she struggled to remains standing. Mercury didn't give a moment of respite, firing off more fierce kicks. Yang rolled to get away, getting to her feet and slamming her shoulder into his leg. Merc grunted as he leg buckled backward and he was pushed to the ground. Yang landed on top of him, pinning him down. She slammed her fists into his face, firing off rapid punches.

Mercury managed to free a leg, sending the tip of his boot into the back of Yang's head. She cried out, vision fading to black momentarily. Mercury took advantage and managed to slip out from under her, back on his feet within the blink of an eye. He went to bring his heel down on her, but she caught his boot again with her arm, pushing him away with a flick of a wrist. Merc tumbled through their air, landing with his back turned.

Merc groaned, looking over his shoulder. His eyes fell on her metal arm, his brow perked. "Huh, don't know how I missed your little upgrade. Guess we're pretty similar now."

"I'm nothing like you. Your trash." Yang said quietly.

Merc laughed, shooting to his feet. "Pretty sure some say that about you too blondie."

Yang yelled a battle cry, charging forward. Merc laughed, his boots shooting him off the ground. She ran right at him, fully intent on smashing him into a million pieces, then a million more. She'd failed to find Adam, and she'd failed to avenge her best friend. But she could still take out the monster that was Mercury Black and avenge the people who died because of him. She yelled again, fist flying forward. Merc flipped and sent a heel flying right for her.

But the two never made contact. Yang frowned as she struggled to move closer, but it was like something was physically stopping her from going forward. And then she realized, something _was._ A wall of red energy was right in her path, stretching from one wall to another. A similar wall was in front of Mercury, who was frowning just as much. Yang shook her head and punched the wall, but it was as solid as armor and wouldn't break.

"Alright, have you two ever tried to talk your problems out?" Saphron asked aloud.

Yang whirled her head. The girl was standing behind Mercury, arm outstretched. That same red energy she'd been throwing around during the courtyard battle was gathered around her hand, palm pointed toward the two of them. Yang scowled, realizing the girl was the one stopping her from destroying Mercury.

"Don't get involved," Yang told her, eyes still on Mercury. "You don't understand."

"Don't I?" Saphron asked, rolling her eyes. "I might not remember anything, but I can recognize hate when it's there. But isn't the end of the world a little more important?"

"Red, you don't get it" Mercury commented, looking back at her.

"Oh come on, grow up you two," Saphron said with an eye roll.

A cough got all of their attention. Yang turned back as Weiss stepped out from behind her desk, gingerly holding her injured shoulder. She stepped up beside Yang, still a head shorter, and gave Mercury a pointed look.

"While I wouldn't have put it that way, Miss Sable is right. Mr. Black, this is inexcusable behavior."

Mercury's eyes widened, looking shocked. "But she just-"

"Yang isn't a trained military agent, is she?" Weiss said. "Regardless, I expect more from you, Mercury. I won't tolerate this behavior in the future, am I clear?"

"But Ma'am…"

"Am I clear?"

Mercury paused, eyes flicking to Yang one last time before he sighed and relaxed his body. "Crystal, General."

Weiss nodded, seemingly satisfied. And then, she turned to Yang. Yang shook her head straight away.

"No."

"Yang, he's one of my best agents."

"No. No way. It's Mercury!"

"Yes, I know what he's done just as much as you have. Probably more." Weiss said. "That said, he's done a lot to make up for those events, and I trust him."

"He attacked me!" Yang shouted incredulously.

"No, you attacked him first," Weiss commented. "Yang, I need you to calm down, please."

Yang growled, but the look in Weiss's eye wasn't anger or annoyance. It was sadness, and Yang was pretty sure she could guess why. The longer they delayed, the more time preparation took, the more likely it would be they wouldn't find Ruby. And Ruby…was worth anything to Yang. Even swallowing her pride and letting this slide. She didn't like it…in fact she hated it, but her sister was more important.

Yang took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She could feel the fire in her veins cooling off slowly, regaining control of her body. Eventually, she gave Weiss a nod, still not trusting herself to say something civil.

Weiss gave Saphron a look. "Miss Sable, lower your barrier."

"You're not the boss of me," Saphron commented, but she lowered her arm anyway. The energy around her hand, as well as the wall between them evaporated in a flash, leaving no trace of any fighting except for the dent in the wall Mercury's body had made. The uneasy silence that followed was broken by Weiss, who breathed deeply and returned to her desk, wincing slightly as she sat.

"Now, if we can return to business." She said with a little huff. "Thank you for bringing her to me Mercury, that will be all for now. I'll debrief you later."

Mercury hesitated, but gave a mock salute and made for the door. "Of course General, look forward to it."

Yang watched him go, not speaking until the automatic door slid closed behind him. "God I hate that guy."

"Gee, I couldn't tell," Saphron said, rolling her eyes.

Yang turned to the girl, frowning. "Oh gee, aren't you funny?"

"I happen to think so, yeah." She said with a small grin. "I personally enjoy puns, but you know, I get punished whenever I bring it up."

Yang paused. "Well, then I guess you could say you're a pun hit wonder, huh?"

the girl blinked, tilting her head. "How punny. You like them too?"

"There's more than pun way to make a joke," Yang said with a smirk. Saphron chuckled, looking genuinely pleased. To be honest, Yang was too. She hadn't made a pun in…forever, it felt like. Now she suddenly remembered why she loved making them so much, it reminded her of the good times back at Beacon.

A groan caught her attention. The two of them turned to the desk, where Weiss had let her head collapse onto the table. She was shaking it back and forth, groaning like she'd just heard bad news.

"Oh god, there's two of them now…"


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys. I just wanted to add quickly that I'm truely sorry for not posting in such a long time. Real life stuff, I wont bore you. I'm not gonna make any promises to update regularly or anything, but I will try. Alright, wont keep you waiting. Read on.**

* * *

Chapter Five

"So, how'd it go?" Mercury asked, leaning heavily on the bar, drink in hand.

Saphron shrugged. "Alright, Weiss just wanted to know what my favorite color was. It's pink."

Mercury frowned. "Seriously?"

"No you dumbass." She said with a smirk, taking the stool next to his and planting herself down. "Apparently there's going to be some mission to retrieve someone from someplace. A lot of names and words I didn't really understand."

"Yeah, well you never understand much," Merc said with a snicker, downing the rest of his glass.

She whacked his arm. Lightly, of course. "Yeah yeah, keep talking. That blonde woman Yang is leading it though. She seems…nice."

Merc dropped his smile. "She's nothing but trouble. Don't even know why she's here, we don't need her."

"You just saying that because she kicked your butt?"

He didn't answer, choosing to look away and get the bartenders attention. He ordered another drink, taking a big swig from it immediately. "You don't know what you're talking about, we have history."

Saph paused. "Like…wife, house and a baby type history?"

Merc snorted into his drink. "God no, she's not my type."

She shrugged, leaning her elbows on the bar. She'd had to ask guards where she could find Mr. Black after her meeting, and all of them had directed her to a populated bar close to the Atlas base. It hadn't been hard to find, with a lot of people shouting and cheering drunkenly around it. Inside was even more noisy and cramped, the dim lighting and shortage of chairs leaving most to stand around in groups. She'd had to squeeze her way through, earning more than a few angry glares.

"Well, I'd say have fun." Merc suddenly spoke up, dark eyes looking her way. "But I doubt you will. Missions are usually challenging, and the General doesn't like slackers. Whatever she'd got you doing will probably be draining."

"You're just a ray of sunshine tonight aren't you?" Saph asked with a perked brow. She paused, flicker of a smile touching her lips. "You know, I haven't even gotten to the best part."

Now it was his turn to raise an eyebrow. "Besides all the intense fighting you'll be doing, you mean? What could possibly be more fun than sticking your neck out like that?"

She did her best to put on an evil looking grin, wiggling her eye brows at him.

"You'll be right beside me through all the 'intense' fighting. The General personally asked that you join the mission."

Merc blinked, his expression hard to read. Saph had expected him to go pale or something, at least look shocked. But he just sat there, his eyes staring into her own. Finally, he opened his mouth to say something.

"No."

"Hey, no point saying it to me. I'm just the messenger."

"Why would she-"

"Something about helping you build character. Both her and Yang had a good laugh while discussing it."

Merc narrowed his eyes, before letting out a big sigh and finishing his second drink. "Well, great…"

"Lighten up Merc, at least you get to go with me." Saph snickered, patting him on the back before pushing herself off her stool. "I'll let you wallow, this place is too noisy."

Merc didn't reply as she began pushing her way through the crowds again, simply slumping his head against the bar. She smirked as she pushed her way out into the street. The open space felt a lot better than the cramped bar area, and she took a deep, satisfying breath before stopping on a street corner.

She reached into a pocket inside her coat, pulling out a Scroll. Weiss had given it to her so she could keep in contact with other Atlas personal, as well as use the multitude of apps and features it held. She pushed a small icon, which lit up before the screen dimmed. She looked down at the screen before it lit up again, a hologram of a cheerful looking girl appearing. A name flashed on the bottom of the screen, Penny.

"Salutations Agent Sable!" The girl said, saluting. "How can I help you?"

"Yeah, could you tell Wei- I mean, the General, that Mercury Black is ready for the mission?"

"I will relay that to Miss Schnee's office immediately!" Penny said, nodding. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"

"Could you put me through to Yang Xiao Long?" She asked the girl. "I'm sure she'd like to know all about it."

Penny shook her head, ever present smile not breaking. "I'm sorry, but Miss Xiao Long is currently busy. Is there anything else I can help you with?"

Saph paused, chewing the side of her lip as she considered. "…Any coffee shops around?"

Penny nodded eagerly. "Certainly! There are several cafés close by, I will direct you to my favorite. I don't know if it tastes good, but the shop certainly looks pretty!"

She smiled as a map popped up on her Scroll, the image of penny minimalizing to a square in the corner of the screen. A bright red line showed the route she should take, weaving thought several streets until coming to a stop close by.

She nodded slowly. "Alright, lead on."

* * *

"Alright, just where the heck is everyone?"

Yang tapped a foot impatiently, no one but Weiss for company. They both stood inside one of Atlas's multiple aircraft hangers, beside one of the transport ships. They had meant to meet up in the late afternoon, arriving in Vale after nightfall. That way, their arrival would be masked from whatever might await them. That is, if the rest of the team would show up…

"Have patience." Weiss replied, face down in her scroll. "I've asked Penny to bring them all here. They will arrive shortly."

The mention of penny caused Yang to forget about her current mood, questions from earlier coming back to mind. "Yeah, that reminds me. How exactly is she alive again? Didn't she-"

"Yes, she did." Weiss said, cutting her off. "After I was appointed head of Atlas, I among many others worked very hard to bring her back. Now, she's much more than before. She essentially runs this whole city."

"I noticed," Yang muttered. Her tone caused Weiss to look up in confusion. Yang sighed. "Isn't…it depressing though? She's stuck inside computers and stuff. Like does she even have a body?"

"One could be made pretty easily." Weiss said with a nod. "But she seems happy enough as is. Maybe soon, but for now we need her as she is. I need her as she is."

Yang wasn't convinced, but didn't want to start yet another argument. She huffed, crossing her arms. "I swear if they take any longer…"

"Oh Yang, you gotta relax."

She whirled around. She hadn't heard anyone approach them, but then, the person who had snuck up on them had a tendency to be silent. When he wasn't being an ass.

Sun Wukong gave her a massive grin, stretching his arms wide open and beckoning her closer. "Coooome on. You know you missed me Blondie."

"Don't call me Blondie." Yang said, but cracked a smile anyway and walked over to hug him. Sun had been a good friend back at Beacon, and more importantly, someone who had cared for Blake as much as she had. Maybe more. Yang didn't know how he'd managed to maintain his personality, or even how he'd come to work for Weiss, but he looked virtually identical.

"Whatever you prefer." He chuckled, giving her a pat before disengaging from her. Yang got a better look at him, now that he was right in front of her. Same beachy hair, similar shorts. He wore a much nicer looking jacket than his old shirt. The color matched his weapons, funnily enough. Yang also noticed he still refused to button up his shirt, bare chest on full display.

"Don't you get cold?" Yang asked, flicking her eyes down suggestively.

"No way." Sun shot back, striking a mock pose. "Gotta keep these guns locked and loaded. Can't hide them in a shirt."

Before Yang could come back with a funny insult, Sun looked over her shoulder. "So he's coming too huh?" He said to Weiss.

Yang turned, spotting Mercury walking into the hanger, with Saphron alongside him. She felt anger begin to burn at her, but she squashed it. Weiss had recommended him, as he was a terrific fighter and did well on recon missions. As much as Yang hated him…she was forced to agree. So she would go along with him, for now anyway.

"Yes, so don't be mean Sun," Weiss warned him.

He shrugged, care free smile back. "Hey, I'm not stressing. But I think I'll go grab a seat and wait for you to finish up General."

He strolled off, spring in his step. Yang shook her head, still smiling despite herself. Merc and Saphron stopped beside them, Merc in particular looking confused by her smile. "Something funny I missed?"

"Oh, just stuff," Yang said curtly, his voice sucking any warmth she'd just been feeling. "You've both been debriefed?"

"Of course." He said, making a point to look at Weiss. "Not sure why someone else couldn't do it, but as the General commands."

"Don't forget it," Weiss said curtly. "Jump aboard, I want to have a final word with these two."

Merc didn't need further instruction, walking away without so much as looking back. Yang let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. Saphron rolled back and forth on her heels, gazing around at the various machines and staff at work. Yang had forgotten she'd supposedly never seen anything like this.

"Alright, Saphron," Weiss said, getting her attention. "I'm letting you take part because you saved my life back there. But make no mistake, I still don't trust you."

"At least you're honest." She said casually, red eyes on the General. Despite the girls laid back demeanor, the eyes still creeped Yang out.

"You're under Yang's command for this mission. Do not do anything unless Yang tells you too, do you understand."

"…A bit heavy, but yeah I guess."

"Do you understand?" Weiss repeated, more force in her voice. Saphron must have noticed because her attitude changed minutely.

"I won't as much as blink unless she says so." She said, a little more serious. She turned to Yang now, still smirking. "You'll let me blink won't you?"

"No promises," Yang said, chuckling. "Now go jump on the transport, and I'll finish up here."

"Yes boss," Saphron said, waving her hand in a little salute before strolling over to the others.

"You watch her Yang," Weiss said, her tone serious.

Yang scoffed. "She doesn't seem overly dangerous Weiss. She reminds me of…well, me kinda."

"Yang."

Yang dropped her smile. She was very dangerous, of course she knew that. But the girl acted like a kid. Yang wasn't sure who she was or where she had come from, but she didn't seem to understand any of the events happening, let alone people's perceptions of her. In a way, it was kind of unfair.

"I know Weiss, I know. I'll keep an eye on her."

"Yang, I'm not kidding. If you suspect she's going to turn on you, or that she might be working for the enemy, I want you to take her out."

Yang turned to Weiss sharply, shocked. She couldn't believe what her friend had just said, in fact she was certain she'd heard it wrong. "I'm sorry?"

"It's an order," Weiss said. "Whether she's telling the truth or not, she is one of them. Now that could be a huge advantage to us…or not. If not, I want you to take care of it."

Yang shook her head slowly. "But, she's just a kid-"

"Yang. Promise me."

Yang narrowed her eyes. She felt a fire inside her again, only this time Mercury didn't cause it. "I'll see you when the missions done, General."

Weiss's eyes widened at the use of her title, but Yang didn't wait for a reply, she turned and made her way onto the carrier, setting herself down in the only seat left, beside Sun. Weiss walked over, making no eye contact with Yang, and saluted. Both Sun and Merc saluted instantly, with Saphron following suite awkwardly a moment later. Yang didn't return the gesture, just banged on the cockpit door to signal they were ready.

The transports engines roared to life, and within moments they had begun to hover above the ground. Weiss watched them go, a mixture of her rigid posture and worried face showing. Yang locked eyes with her for a second, feeling her anger die down again. Weiss's eyes reminded her of someone who felt they had lost someone dear. Yang imagined that's how she must have looked, a long time ago. She gave Weiss a nod, but the transport moved out of sight before Weiss could return the gesture.

It wasn't long before they were soaring over the open ocean, the kingdom of Atlas becoming smaller and smaller behind them. The ride was surprisingly noise free, as the engines quietened down when they had achieved their cruising speed. The pilot had informed them all they would reach Vale's coast line shortly after nightfall. Which meant for the next few hours, all they could do was talk to pass the time.

"So, Saphron huh?" Sun asked, eyeing the girl curiously. "I'd heard we had a prisoner. Didn't think she'd be so…meek looking."

"Thanks six pack." She said with a laugh. "Nice to know I made a good impression."

"He doesn't mean anything by it," Merc said, throwing his own opinion in. "Just hasn't seen you in action yet."

Sun grinned, wiggling his eye brows. Yang had to admit, the ambiance inside the cabin was nice, even cheerful. The others all joked and poked at each other, but she was honestly happy just sitting there listening. It had been awhile since she'd been a part of something like this. Good memories began to spring to life.

"So like, what can you do?" Sun asked Saphron with a brow perked. "You don't seem to have a weapon on you."

Yang perked up, kind of hoping for an explanation too. She had seen the things the girl could do of course, but she didn't fully understand. Saphron frowned lightly, as if struggling to think of it herself.

"I'm not entirely sure how it works." She said, "But I can make barriers and stuff with my mind."

"Like psychic powers?" Sun joked. "In the comics and the like."

"Actually it's a lot like that." Merc pointed out. He looked across to her. "I've seen her throw stuff without touching it, and shoot balls of energy. Crazy stuff."

"Yeah, but I still don't understand it."

"It sounds like Aura manipulation."

All eyes turned to Yang, who had finally opened her mouth to talk. She looked at each one of them, all with curious eyes. She shrugged, continuing. "I've met a lot of people on my travels. Some of them can manipulate their own Aura, do the things you're describing. I've even met a man who could fly."

"So I can fly?" Saphron asked, a smile growing.

"One way to find out," Sun said with a wink.

"No." Yang said immediately. "From what I can tell you're pretty powerful. Your barrier was like punching solid steel. But you're untrained, undisciplined. Chances are you might hurt someone, or yourself."

There was a pause, before she added. "Also, no throwing team members out of the flying craft."

The cabin went quiet for a while after that. Yang felt bad about ruining the mood, but it needed to be said. She had been disgusted by Weiss's request but she was no fool. The other girl could be dangerous, given the right situation. Yang would make sure to keep an eye on her. She heard a gasp of amazement, and looked back up. She blinked.

Saphron had her hand outstretched, just beyond reach of one of Sun's 'gun-chucks'. No one was holding them up, and they were covered in a familiar red glow. Sun's eyes were wide, clearly impressed. Merc chuckled as she twirled her hand, and the weapon spun with the gesture. Yang felt a heat in her chest, but took a breath to calm herself.

"Drop the chucks."

Saphron looked at her, a hint of defiant annoyance in her eyes. "I'm not doing any harm."

"No, but that might," Yang said. "Those things do have a tendency to fire when they shouldn't."

"Hey-"Sun protested, but Yang ignored him. She locked eyes with Saphron, putting on her best commanding face.

"Drop them. Now."

Saphron looked like she might protest further, but soon lowered her hand, the weapon banging down on the floor. She gave Yang a minor glare. "Whatever you say 'commander.'"

She then sat back in her seat, looking out the window and sulking. The other two also remained quiet, avoiding adding further tension to the room. Yang sighed to herself, slumping back in her seat. " _Way to go Yang. Great start to getting the team together."_

The rest of the ride carried out in silence.

* * *

"This is where I have to drop you off!" The pilot said, fighting to be heard over the engines now loud thrust. They hovered a short distance from the ground, along the very dark coast line of Vale. Ahead, the city could barely be made out, just a mass of black beyond them.

"We can't get in any closer?" Yang shouted back. She didn't exactly like the idea of trekking through a host of unknown terrain.

The pilot shook his head, helmet hiding his eyes. "Negative, we'll risk being discovered. You had better jump, we're being risky even now."

Yang nodded grimly, understanding, but certainly not happy. She returned to the others, who had all risen out of their chairs. "Alright, once we're down we'll set up camp on the beach. Once day breaks, and we can see better, we'll begin our search."

"Makes sense," Sun said, before cracking a grin. "Race ya."

He fell out the open hatch, plummeting toward the ground. He landed, doing a roll as he hit the sand before springing back to his feet. He looked up, waving them down.

Saphron went next. Without a word she stepped out, falling down to earth with much less grace. Just before she hit the ground her legs began to glow, slowing her descent. She landed as if she'd taken a step on level ground.

"Show off." Merc scoffed. Yang shrugged, getting ready to jump off herself. Before she could, a hand firmly grabbed her shoulder. She turned sharply, first eyeing his hand, and then flicking up to his own gaze.

"Hold up a sec." He said quietly. "I know I'm the last person to give you advice, and believe me, the feelings mutual. But you're the commander, and-"

"Get to the point."

"She can't remember anything," Merc said, surprisingly soft. "She doesn't understand half of what's happening, but she's a smart girl. She'll figure it out. Until then…go easy on her, yeah?"

Yang was surprised. Mercury, known for being both a hard ass and unsympathetic to others, was asking her to 'go easy'? From the look on his face, he seemed to mean it too. Did Merc care about this more than he was letting on? In fact, Yang realized she didn't know anything about him from ten years onward.

"…I'll see what I can do." She finally said.

"All I'm asking for." He said. He let go of her, preparing to spring out.

Yang chuckled, before diving out of the carrier and catching him by surprise. He followed, right behind as the cold night wind ripped through her hair. The ground grew closer at an alarming rate, the dark not helping her judge distance. She flipped so her boots were downward, hitting the ground with a hard thud. Her hand came down to steady her, sand flying up in a wave.

She heard Sun cry out as sand covered him, but Saphron had waved her hand, stopping any sand from touching her. Sun grumbled something about his hair, running fingers through his hair in an effort to shake off stubborn sand grains.

Merc landed beside her, much lighter. Yang was reminded of his enhanced legs. Merc scoffed. "I was wrong, you're the show-off."

"Don't forget it." She said, standing up. She looked up at the transport began to turn and fly back across the sea. Yang watched it until it became impossible to see, nothing more than another black dot in the sky.

"Right…" She muttered, turning. A quick survey of their surroundings told her that they were too exposed on the beach. The elements, natural hazards as well as Grimm could easily cause harm from any side. They needed to find a more defensive place to rest, and soon.

"Hey, what about there?" Sun said, pointing off in the distance.

Yang peered at where he was looking. Indeed, in the distance stood a small, run-down wooden hut. Probably someone's beach house years ago, it looked like it had been abandoned for some time. The paint had flicked away, and the wooden beams underneath were exposed.

"Better than nothing." She conceded, starting to walk down the shoreline toward their new base.

She heard the others fall in behind her, chatting quietly. She kept her eyes down, watching as the waves rolled close by. She felt the odd urge to take her boots off and let the water touch her bare skin. Both she and Ruby would run away from the tides when they were growing up on Patch, a game they both enjoyed. She felt a pang at the thought of her sister, realizing that she had not only missed her dearly, but had no idea what she would say when they found her. It was oddly terrifying to think about.

"What's that?" Saphron asked, snapping Yang out of her thoughts. She didn't need to ask what, however, because Merc spoke first.

"That…is Beacon."

Yang looked up. Further down the beach in their direction, a sheer cliff face stood. Sitting above, like a monument stood the academy. In the path of the moonlight, they could all easily make out the structures of the school, the buildings. High above all the other buildings, and right in the middle stood Beacon Tower. Once, it had been the office of the Headmaster, Ozpin, as well as a communications tower and a host of other handy things. After the attack however, it became home to a monster. A massive Grimm, shaped in a mockery of a dragon.

A Grimm still there.

Its shape was unmistakable. It clung to the side of the tower like a grotesque gargoyle, horrid and evil. Yang felt a mix of emotions flood her at the sight of it, hand unconsciously clenching.

"It's where some of us went to school," Yang said quietly, attempting to distract herself.

She looked back and saw almost everyone else wore the same expression she knew she must have. Sun, and to her surprise Mercury both looked saddened. Both looked up at the tower as if it was tormenting them. Saphron however, merely looked curious. For a second, Yang felt anger that she wasn't mourning like the rest of them. But Mercs words rung in her head, and she reigned them in.

"Do you think your friend is up there?" She asked, her red eyes easily seen even in this light. "I mean, if I was researching Grimm, wouldn't that be a good place to look?"

"You're not wrong," Sun added. "But it's also very dangerous. I don't think Ruby is that bold."

"Actually, it's not a bad thought." Merc mused. "Ruby's surprised me before on the lengths she'll go. Especially when she's put her mind to something."

Merc turned to look at Yang. "What do you think?"

Yang took a moment to answer. She begrudgingly admitted that she didn't know Ruby now as well as she'd like. But she knew the Ruby from their childhood. And Merc was right, once that girl set her mind to something…

"We'll do a brief scour of the city tomorrow." She said. "If we don't find anything…Beacon is next. Let's just make sure there's no evidence elsewhere."

"You're the boss," Merc said.

They arrived at the shack, its front door missing. Now that she was closer, she noted that despite its appearance, most of the damage was superficial. The structure was pretty sturdy, and the roof seemed intact. At least it would shield them from the elements.

"Alright." Yang began. "Sun, grab some drift wood from close by, we're making a fire. We'll have to take turns on watch, guess I'll go first."

"I'll set up communication with Atlas, let them know we've arrived in one piece," Merc said, walking up the house steps to move inside.

Yang's eyes fell on Saphron, who was standing there awkwardly. She shrugged at Yang.

"I guess I'll just stand here and be team support?"

"You are pretty motivational." Yang joked, cracking a smirk.

She returned the gesture briefly, before taking a big breath. Yang chuckled. "You know, I'm not really sure what to make of you."

"That makes two of us."

"Being serious for a second," Yang said, pulling as serious a face as she could. "Why would you even want to come here? You know, considering you don't remember much, if anything."

She expected the girl to get insulted, but Saph seemed to really consider it for a short moment.

"I think…I'm hoping that maybe being here, working with you guys, might help stir the old memory soup. Because you're right, I don't remember a thing. I'm not even sure if I was a good guy or a bad one, like you all think I am."

"I didn't say…" Yang began quietly, but Saph held up a hand to shush her. She didn't seem mad, to her credit.

"You don't need too. I know what everyone thinks. That I'm one of those Taken…things. And I don't know if I am or not. But if I can remember…then I could do something about it. Use those memories to help people out and stuff, you know?"

"Aren't…you worried about what you might find?" Yang warned softly. Saphron had to be a Taken, she had to be. And based on what Yang knew of them…it wasn't pretty. If the girl remembered, it might trigger other side effects, and then who knew what could happen.

She thought about it again, finger tapping on her chin. "Hmm…Nah."

"Nah?" Yang asked, a little stunned. "What if you were one of the bad guys? What if you did things you might not like now?"

"Then that's my problem to deal with." Saph said, her usual smirk fading to a hard frown. "If I am one of the monsters you all fight, then I'll deal with it myself. But no matter what I was, or who I was, or whatever, I will not stop being me now. I like me now."

Yang had to admit, she couldn't find words after hearing the girls declaration. She seemed so sure of herself, much like Yang did when she was younger. That kind of assuredness, she had to admit she was a little impressed. Before she could speak, the girls grin returned. She pointed behind her, with her thumb out.

"I'm going to check on Merc, call out if I can help out, boss."

"…Sure." Yang finally said, turning away as Saph walked off.

"Oh and Yang?"

She turned back, those red eyes locking onto her own.

"Sorry about before. And thanks for talking to me like a person. It was kinda nice."

"Don't mention it," Yang said, giving the girl a reassuring smile.

Saph replied in kind briefly, before moving to the house. She sighed, looking out at the ocean again. Her thoughts trailed from home, to her sister, to other unpleasant things. Coming here…had stirred up a lot of things she'd buried over the years. She knew that deep down, no matter how this panned out, she wasn't going to be the same as when she arrived.

She just wasn't sure if that was a good thing, or not.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey all, hope you enjoy the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter Six:

 _Saphron felt a jolt, her eyes flashing open in alarm. She spun around, hand outstretched and ready to strike at whoever had snuck up on her._

" _Woah Saph, chill girl!"_

 _She blinked, before letting out a small laugh and lowering her hand. "Honestly Iris, one of these days you're going to end up being flung into a wall. Walk louder dammit." Iris Evergreen smirked, her blonde ponytail billowing behind her as if dancing. Saph noted that she was dressed up in her fighting gear, though 'gear' was a strong word for it. She liked to wear sporting outfits, runners, sports tops and the like. Today was no exception, her trademark green tights and white singlet ever present. She even had wrapped tape around her wrists and ankles, completing her sporty look. Saph glanced over her shoulder and spotted a large, metal bat. Her favorite weapon._

 _Iris narrowed her eyes a bit, peering inquisitively. "You alright? You look a little weirded out."_

" _It's nothing," Saph said quickly, shaking off her unease. She didn't understand why, but something was putting her on edge._

 _Iris scoffed, waggling a finger at her. "Well it better be! We've come so far, and team SIRE is gonna win the tournament this year. Can't you feel it?"_

 _Saph wanted too, but the nagging feeling wouldn't go away. It chewed at her thoughts, and it was starting to get on her nerves. Of course, she didn't say any of this aloud. Iris wasn't what some would call sensitive, and Saph was used to bottling things up. She'd been doing it for a long time now._

" _Sure, yeah." She replied. She realized the others weren't here, causing her to frown. "Where's Ramsey and Eldren? They do know we have a match soon right?"_

" _Oh I'm sure they're around." Iris said with a laugh. "Probably chatting up the local girls or whatever. Not sure there is a girl back in Haven they haven't tried to talk too."_

" _Gotta give them credit for trying." Saph commented. A sudden wave of unease hit her again, and she felt the overwhelming urge to hide, as if someone was looking at her._

 _Iris frowned, picking up on her team mates tone change. "Are you sure you're ok Saphron?"_

 _Saph smiled, trying to suppress the feeling. "Of course. We've made it to the Vytal Tournament of all places. I mean, what could go wrong?"_

* * *

Yang watched the morning sun rise over the bay. She shivered, the chill of night still clinging to the air despite the ever growing sun light. She used her finger to reignite the burnt out bonfire, small flames shooting from her finger gun. The fire flared briefly, but she had run out of new wood during the night, so the flames quickly died down to embers, holding onto life.

She sighed, rubbing her eyes. She was supposed to have woken up Mercury about halfway through the night, but she had decided it better that she just be the look out. Now she was regretting it. If there was one thing she loved more than fighting, it was a nice warm bed. Well, that and her motorcycle…and food…and sleep…

She shook her head, removing the thoughts. She was here on a mission, and she couldn't afford distractions. Not when Ruby's life was on the line. Still…she had been sitting on a cold beach all night. Shouldn't she be allowed to relax a little?

The sounds of creaking wood woke her up. She lean over to see someone coming out of their makeshift base. Saphron stumbled down the stairs, stretching her arms as she yawned and blinked sleepily in her direction.

"Did you keep watch all night?" She asked, sounding confused as she walked slowly over.

"I was meant to wake someone else, but…" Yang hesitated. "I kinda forgot."

"Sure you did," Saph commented, sinking down to sit beside her. "God it's cold. How didn't you turn into an ice block?"

Yang held up her finger, small flame flaring briefly at the tip. "It helps when you're a human lighter."

Saph snorted, yawning again. The sun had risen enough to wash over the both of them now, definitely making the temperature warmer. The waves crashed quietly in front of them, rolling closer before retreating back again.

"So how did you sleep anyway?" Yang asked after the moment's silence.

Saph seemed to hesitate. "You know, I'm not sure. I had an odd dream."

"Oh?" Yang asked, curiosity piqued. No one, let alone Yang, knew enough about this girl. Maybe she could learn some stuff and report back to Weiss.

"Yeah, I think…don't quote me, but I think I remembered something." She said, brow crunched up as she tried to recall the events she'd dreamt about. "I was talking to…someone. I think I knew them."

Yang was definitely curious now. "What was the conversation about?"

She took a moment to answer, wincing slightly. "We were talking about some tournament or festival. I think we were participating in it. Vial? No…Vitol?"

"…Vytal?" Yang asked. She felt a chill, and not from the morning air.

She nodded. "That's it. The Vytal Tournament. I was competing with a team there…no, my team. I think? This is so confusing…"

Yang didn't know what to say. She was stumped, not believing what she was hearing. Saphron had been at the Tournament? Where everything had begun all those years ago, the same Tournament where Cinder Fall had brought down Beacon and the war against Humanity had begun. That couldn't be a coincidence, nor would Yang accept it if it was.

"Anything else?" She asked as casually as she could, not looking the girl in the eye.

"Not really," She replied. She smirked. "Kinda woke up with a start. Nearly whacked Sun on the head."

Yang genuinely smiled at that mental image. But it also brought up another thought, one that had nagged her since their first encounter. "Probably getting sick of the questions, but mind if I ask one more?"

"Sure, fire away."

"How well can you fight exactly?" She asked, trying not to sound condescending. "I know you must be able to hold your own to some extent, but just how well?"

Saph frowned at her, a brow perked. "What? Creating glowy barriers and knocking people around isn't good enough for you?"

Yang raised a hand. "Now I didn't say that. But what if someone ambushes you? How well can you fight up close?"

Saph looked like she wanted to fire off some kind of response, but she hesitated. Which told Yang everything she needed to know. The look on Saph's face began changing from fired up to thoughtful. She looked puzzled.

"Shockingly, I can't remember what I would actually do." She said, sounding bemused.

"Having no memory sounds like a real bummer."

"You have no idea." She agreed. "Still, theirs four of us. I'm sure we won't end up in that kind of situation."

Yang chuckled, rising to her feet. "See, it's that kind of thinking that's going to get you killed. Get up."

Saph stood up, still frowning. Yang took a few steps back and set her feet down in a firm stance. She balled both her fists up and kept them by her side, little weapons at the ready to strike any opponent that got too close. She nodded at Saphron with a smirk.

"Hit me."

"Sorry what?" Saph commented, blinking a few times. "You want me to-"

"Hit me," Yang said again. "Stop wasting time and attack."

Saph shrugged, beginning to raise a hand and gathering energy on her palm.

"No Aura. Just a punch."

She blinked again, but to her credit followed along. She hesitated a moment, before charging forward. She was surprisingly fast, though Yang watched her approach easily. Her movements were not refined at all. It was clear she hadn't had any formal training, or she couldn't remember having it. She cocked her fist back on the approach, clearing aiming to strike her in the chest. Yang tutted and outstretched her Mech arm with seconds to spare.

The sound of the punch echoed as anything hitting solid metal does. They both stood there a moment before Saph withdrew her hand and began mouthing curses. Yang snickered.

"Son of a…" Saph said, letting the rest die in her mouth. She threw a glare Yang's way. Those eyes almost spooked her again but Yang was getting used to seeing them now. "Are you trying to teach me or ruin me? That hurt dammit."

"Bit of both." Yang admitted with a grin, before standing to the side and imitating what Saph had done. "You came in too obvious. Never show where you're going to strike until you're a second away. Otherwise you'll give yourself away. Try again."

Saph rushed her again, even faster than before. To her credit she seemed to have taken the advice to heart, leaving her intent hidden before trying to land a strike again. Yang simply lifted her arm and deflected the strike with her forearm, sending Saph's punch outward. She then shoved the girl to the sand with a light push.

Saph grunted when she hit the ground, scowling. "Followed your crappy advice, still couldn't land it."

"As if you're going to land a hit on me. I'm pretty incredible." She chuckled, before growing serious. "You're start was good Saph, but you need to read your opponent as well. Using your forearm at an angle will easily allow you to remove the strength of a blow, and open up a counter attack."

"Where did you learn all of this?" Saph asked, a mix of grouchiness and curiosity. "Surely you didn't know all of this at Hunter's school or whatever."

"Nah, my dad taught me a lot," Yang said, smile dropping. "He used to be a really great Huntsman himself."

"Sounds like a standup guy, have I seen him at Atlas?" Saph asked. Yang didn't respond, and it only took a second for Saph to catch on. Her eyes widened. "Oh, I didn't-I mean-Sorry."

"It's ok…" Yang said with a small smile. "He passed years ago back at my home in patch. Buried him right next to Ruby's mom. I think he'd have wanted that personally. I've made my peace with that."

"Still, that's harsh," Saph said quietly. "I mean, I'm not even sure who my parents are, but that still sounds like something horrible to see."

" _Just the tip of the iceberg…"_ Yang thought to herself. She looked away, forcing a smirk. "It's no big deal. Unlike your fighting, which is terrible by the way. We're going to have to work on that."

Saph blinked, looking a little startled at the change of tone. "Uhh, sure? Anyway, shouldn't we be waking the others up or something?"

"Good thinking. Go wake the other two up and help them clean up. I'll put out the fire and-"

Yang stopped short when the ground suddenly shook. It was short and violent, and it was all she could do not to fall to the ground. Saphron was not so fortunate, managing a yell before collapsing backwards and landing on her back. Moments later Yang saw a bright flash in the distance, within the abandoned city. An explosion. The sound reached them next, the sheer noise causing her ears to ring.

Merc came bursting out of the shack, followed by Sun. Both had wide eyes, clearly woken up by the explosion. They ran toward the girl's location, swiveling to face the source of the noise.

Yang righted herself, head still ringing. She grunted. "Is…everyone ok?"

Merc nodded, though he still seemed shaken. Sun was more vocal. "What the hell was that?"

Saphron floated back to her feet, scowling. "It was annoying to put it lightly."

"Whatever it was, it happened within the city," Yang noted. "And if I were to hazard a guess as to who caused it…"

"You think it was Ruby?" Merc asked, cutting her off.

She frowned at him, but nodded. If Ruby was still around, chances are her and her team would be in the city. Yang admitted that she didn't know Ruby now as well as she should have, but back when they were younger her sister was never one for subtly. To Yang, it made more sense than any other alternative. Even if it wasn't, it would probably still be a good idea to check it out, and see what had happened.

"Packyou're gear up." She told the rest, kicking sand over her dying fire. "We're moving out."

* * *

The city of Vale would have once been beautiful. Tall buildings would have been alongside bright parks and vibrant trees. The mix of nature and civilization would have been gorgeous, the ocean framing the city from one side, and tall cliffs on the other. Resting atop of the cliffs was Beacon, which probably would have looked like its name sake. A beacon for all to see. That's what it would have looked like.

That's not what it looked like now.

Saph observed the rubble, the ruins as they slipped through the city as quietly as possible. Their pace was brisk, Yang didn't want to lose whoever, or whatever, had caused the commotion. She flicked her gaze to one, sad looking tree husk. No greenery was left here, nothing living. The wind blew through the empty, ruined buildings and created ghostly sounds, like the people who lived here were still around.

"What happened here…" She asked quietly. Yang threw her a look, which she quickly recognized as a 'shut up' look. She probably was worried about being heard, but Saph felt there was more too it. She huffed lightly, arms folded as they walked over the loose gravel that made up most of the ground.

Merc slowed down, coming to walk by her side. "It's a touchy subject," He muttered. "Vale didn't fall right after Beacon. There was a good while where the city was still safe."

"Then how did it become…all this?" She asked him, lightly grimacing.

He didn't answer right away, staring straight ahead. "A massive force of Grim laid siege here. It was the first time most of us had seen them work together like that. They were organized and very deadly."

He scoffed. "Some say that the fall of Vale was Salem's first major victory."

"Salem?" Saph interrupted. "The one behind the Grim right?"

"…Not just the Grim." He said quietly. "Humans serve her too. Some are true humans, evil people who serve her for their own reasons. Most have become the Taken, they don't seem to have much free will of their own."

"You used to fight on the other side, didn't you?" Saph asked him.

He didn't answer. When he remained silent, she guessed her information session was over. They had walked out into a large clearing, nothing but rubble and debris. The skeletons of buildings encircled the clearing. Was this the city center? She didn't know, but it looked like something big had happened here long ago, something powerful enough to level buildings.

Saph had been so caught up with her observations, she had missed what everyone else had been looking at. Boot stopping just short, she looked down to discover she had almost stepped in a large, smoking pile. Pile of what? She wasn't sure, but if she could guess…

"Grim." Yang said, as if she'd suspected it. Around them were other smoking piles, all large. "Not the cause of that explosion, but maybe the reason."

"Definitely human work," Merc muttered, crouching down beside one pile, eyes narrowed. "Think it's our girl in red?"

"Not sure…" Yang replied, frowning. "I don't recognize any weapon marks. Could other hunters be in the area?"

"Not Hunters," Merc said, standing up. "Bandits maybe."

Yang went quiet, purple eyes locked on the Grim bodies before she lifted her head to look at the others. "I don't like this, not one bit. We need to find who did this as soon as possible"

"Yes ma'am," Sun said, grin momentarily breaking the monotone. "Where should we start looking? Maybe head closer to the school?"

"I'm reluctant to say it, but we'll cover more ground if we split up…" Yang murmured, mulling her idea over. "Alright Sun, you're with Saph. Keep her out of trouble, and if you find anything report it immediately."

"So then I'm with you?" Merc asked, brow raised.

She nodded. "No offense, but I want to keep you in my sights. Still finding it hard to trust you."

"None taken, boss." He replied, smirking briefly.

She nodded, before turning back to Sun and pointing across the clearing. "Down that way is part of the old shopping hub. Stay low and quiet, don't draw attention to yourselves. If you find anyone, or anything, report it and don't engage."

"What about you two?" He asked.

She gestured with her thumb to a path behind her. "Merc and I will go check out the old Vale Park. If I wanted to hide, it would be a good place to go. We'll call for you if we find anything. And Saph?"

She perked up, surprised she was being addressed at all. "Yeah?"

Yang gave her a look. "Listen to Sun and do as he says. We aren't here to start something."

"I got it." She said, waving a hand dismissively. Yang frowned but gave a nod. "Alright, then let's get started."

"Come on Saph, this way," Sun said with a grin, starting to walk away. She quickly caught up with him, glancing back as Yang and Merc vanished down their path.

"Ah don't worry about those two." He said, hand coming down on her shoulder. "Nothing can threaten them more than each other, and they're both professional…enough."

"About that," She said slowly, side stepping a large chunk of concrete. "Why do they hate each other? I asked Merc, but he seemed reluctant."

Sun hesitated. "Not really sure it's my place to say Saph."

She rolled her eyes. "I'll find out eventually right? Besides, you've gotta trust me, we're partners right now."

"Guess you might." He said, thinking it over for a second. "Merc used to work for a woman named Cinder. She's the one who started all this I guess you could say."

"No wonder then…" She murmured. "How did he come to work for Atlas then?"

"Only thing he said was that the enemy wasn't who he thought it was," Sun said. "After he showed up, we didn't hear from Cinder or her other lackeys again. They just…vanished."

Saph let that information sink in. Cinder…it sounded familiar, but why? Had she known of Cinder perhaps? Large villain like that was bound to pick up notoriety. She also wondered what had happened to her, and her 'lackeys' as Sun put it. Was Salem responsible somehow? Again, she had no idea, but she felt like she should know. The feeling grew stronger, the crown of her head starting to ache.

They soon arrived at a rundown plaza, vacant shop windows smashed and floor gathering dust. Sun led the way, walking through like he'd done so many times before. Saph had no doubts he had and wondered if this particular place brought up any memories.

The faint boom of thunder and darkening sky caught her attention, and she blinked in surprise as the first rain drop hit her cheek. This single drop was followed by more, drizzling down upon them and the empty buildings. The sounds of water hitting the pavement and another faint crash of thunder caused her to shiver.

"Hmm, doesn't seem to be much this way," Sun said, grinning. The rain hadn't bothered him at all. "Further down leads to the suburbs, I doubt anyone would hang around that area."

Saph nodded. "So should we head back?"

"Soon enough, I just wanna look around a bit more…"Sun began to say before his eyes snapped to something behind her.

She spun around, seeing nothing. "What? What is it?"

"I thought I saw…" He muttered, before focusing on her again. "Alright, stay right here. Do you understand? Don't move from this spot, I'm just going to check I'm not crazy."

His answer didn't fill her with confidence, but he was gone before she could protest. He leapt up onto a balcony and vanished around a corner, leaving her very much alone. She looked around, giving her surroundings a once over, no aware of being snuck up on. With an annoyed frown she leant against a battered pillar, arms folded. Rain dripped from her hair, cold against her exposed skin. She made a mental note to try and find more suitable clothing next time she was out here.

Lightning flashed across the sky, causing her to look up again. Thunder rumbled, much more clearly than before. The rain picked up, more than a mist. She scowled, watching the light flit across the sky.

" _He just left me."_ She thought to herself. _"So much for partners…"_

Lightning flashed again, her vision going white for a second. _"I wonder how the other two are doing…" She thought, before scoffing. "Probably having the time of their life. Or trying to kill each other again."_

She ran a hand through her hair, her palm coming away wet. She let out a faint growl, startling herself. She was sick of being out here, sick of being wet and cold. Sick of not knowing what everyone else seemed to take for granted.

" _I just want answers!"_

Her palm flared up, red aura rippling through the air. Her hand was now dry, water droplets splattering on the ground. She looked at her hand, the power fading. Once again the rain hit her palm, its cold making her jump. Focusing this time, she tried again. And again, the water was repelled off her. This time she kept the energy around her hand. The rain dripped to the sides of the little barrier, as if it was physical.

A smile soon grew, a quiet laugh followed. "Well that's just handy, isn't it?"

Concentrating more aura, she created a larger barrier, a glowing red outline around her. Just like magic, the water no longer hit her, dripped down her hair or soaked her coat. Her smile widened as she looked at herself, feeling proud of herself for this discovery.

Lightning flashed a third time, blinding her again.

Marveling over her new skill, she didn't notice anything wrong, at first. Then she heard the sounds of rain dripping off something new. Something metal.

She looked up quickly, her heart speeding up at the sight of the man. She wasn't sure it was even a man, the entire body was covered in gray, shiny armor plates. Lightning crackled again, reflecting off its pauldrons. She froze, unsure what to do.

It didn't move either, its helmet turned in her direction. The visor glowed a light blue, as did several highlights on its armor joints. Her eyes flicked down to its waist, where a massive sword was sheathed. It looked about as big as she was and just as thick. It looked deadly.

The 'knight' took a step toward her, and she instinctively stepped back. It raised its hand to her, finger pointing.

"You are Taken. This makes you my enemy."

She immediately understood. The red glow, her dark clothes. Her eyes. She looked identical to one of the Human Grim. Hell, she could actually be one, she wasn't sure on that detail. But she had no wish to fight this metal man. Something told her she'd lose, badly.

"It's not what you think." She said, attempting to appear brave. "I am not what you think."

"Typical lies." The knight said. "You would say anything to escape your fate, wouldn't you?"

Before she could argue further, it went for the sword. The blade slid out of its sheath with a hiss, coming to rest by the knight's side. It then spread its legs, sinking into a fighting stance. She was truly panicking now.

"No! No, I'm not like them, those Taken!"

The knight didn't seem to have heard her. "I wonder who you were, before you signed a deal with the devil, cretin."

She recoiled as if struck, his words like a sting. She didn't know who she was, but his implication caused a fire to spread throughout her body. The fear was still there, but something else was taking hold. She narrowed her eyes, heart pumping faster and faster. She clenched her fists, before lobbing out a ball of energy.

The knight sidestepped and charged.

* * *

"Aw man, I'm going to have to retune my legs after this." Merc muttered, pulling _something_ off them.

Yang rolled her eyes but secretly agreed with him. The park had become quickly flooded by the downpour, and the ground had soon become muddy and flooded. Her own boots were a mess, and she could feel the cold water chilling her feet and legs.

"We'll just look around and call it quits." She shouted, fighting to be heard over the rain. "We can search again later, this is not the weather we needed."

"Agreed!" He shouted back, hand covering his brow as he peered through the dense trees.

Yang did the same, but the park had become overgrown since the absence of any gardening. The trees were thick, and the footpaths had been taken by weeds and grass. The whole place had become more natural than it ever had been. This made looking for a person much more…difficult.

"Hey boss, what are we going to do if we find her?" Merc asked. "You know, your sister."

"We'll grab her and bring her back to Atlas, simple." She said, holding a branch away from her head as she stepped through. Honestly, she hadn't thought that far just yet. Surely Ruby would be happy, eager even to go home? But, what if she wasn't?

A flash of white caught her eye. She stopped in her tracks, focusing intently.

"Hey what's…" Merc started, but a hand from Yang shut him up. He saw her face and immediately started looking around, arms coming up defensively.

She listened, the sounds of rain growing faint as she concentrated. She could hear the dripping off leaves, the sounds of wood groaning as the wind blew branches. The sounds of mud squelching.

Then she heard a chittering sound, nothing that should have belonged here. She heard branches snap and the scuttling of legs above them. Then another chittering sound. And another. They were being followed, by more than one creature.

"Run,Mech" she said.

They took off, Merc right behind her. The creatures, no longer needing subtlety quickly pursued them, breaking branches and rushing through the trees. At the rate they were catching up, they would be on them in seconds.

They rushed into a small clearing, the tree canopy blocking out the sky above. Yang skidded to a halt, water and mud spraying outward. She brought up her fists, metal arm shifting to accommodate Ember Celica. Merc stopped beside her, the two of them back to back. They rotated slowly, keeping eyes open for attackers.

Yang saw the flash of white and acted on instinct. She knelt down and launched her fist. A squeal was her reward, the large white creature rolling in the water to extinguish the fire on its head. As it rose again, Yang's suspicions had been correct, it was Grim. Though not any Grimm she'd encountered before.

The creature looked like a spider, with two main parts of the body. Its small head had many angry red eyes, all trained on her with a look of eager hunger. A small mouth snapped underneath, with rows of pointy teeth that looked vicious. Two fangs sat just outside of the mouth, gleaming in the dim light. The rest of its body was bulbous, pulsing in a manner than made Yang nauseous. It's long, spindly legs twitched in anticipation.

She felt Merc leave her side and that's when the Grimm attacked. With a shriek it flung itself at her, arms coming to wrap around her. She skipped to the side, firing several blasts into the beast as it passed. It skidded and came at her again. She cocked her fist back, launching more strikes. Fire erupted as she pummeled the creatures head. It squealed and scurried into the trees, vanishing in the canopy.

She whirled around, spotting Merc. He brought the heel of his boot down, cracking the shell on another spiders head. It crumpled, already beginning to turn to smoke. Merc didn't have time to celebrate, as another of the creatures flung out from the canopy, tackling him to the ground.

Yang rushed to help him, before she too was knocked over. Another Grimm landed on her, mouth oozing sizzling liquid. She stuck her metal fist into its mouth, stopping the Spider from landing its strike. She fired Ember, the blast breaking through its shell and killing it. Shoving it to the side, she got to her feet, twisting around as another came at her. She grabbed a lag and spun, throwing it into another. She looked around frantically for Merc, who was being dragged away. The Grimm pulled him up into a tree, sticky webbing keeping his legs pinned together.

She ran to help, but more of the Creatures fell from the forest ceiling. As if sensing the coming kill, they blocked her path, advancing and hissing at her. Yang snarled, standing her ground as the Spiders closed in on her. Waiting until they were within striking distance, she leapt, launching herself over their line.

One reared up on its legs, snatching at her. She responded by spraying the Grimm with fire from both gauntlets. It took alit, no amount of water dowsing the flames. She landed as it thrashed around, crashing into the others and spreading the flames. Soon they all screeched as they burned, fleeing in different directions before vanishing into the darkness of the woods. The Spider holding Merc must have sensed the danger, for it too scurried away and left him hanging from a tree. Yang took deep breaths as she spun in an effort to find more, but none were left in the clearing. It seemed she'd scared them off.

"Look out!"

She looked up as it crashed into her. She went for the face, but webbing splattered onto Mech arm, keeping it pinned to the ground. Her other arm held down, the Grimm gurgled in triumph. She saw the scorch marks on its face, recognizing it as the first to attack her. Its mouth widened as it lowered itself closer.

"Yang, no!" Merc shouted, wriggling in his own prison to get free.

Yang couldn't take her eyes away. She'd often wondered how she might end up dying, her final battle. She had never imagined to be outsmarted by a bug, but fate was a fickle thing. Its jaws snapped as it neared, inches away from her face.

Then it stiffened, letting out a pained whine. It stopped getting closer, rearing back and trembling. Moments later, it collapsed as dead weight on her. She felt the air leave her lungs, taking in a ragged gasp. She couldn't see who or what had killed it. She knew it was dead, smoke blowing off its body.

With a grunt, she managed to move the Grimm enough to move her head up. Her eyes found the source of the Grimm's death, and her heart froze. And for the first time in a long time, she felt fear.

The girl was small, her bright and fancy clothes not belonging in a swamp. Her parasol was folded, thin pointy blade sticking out from its tip. Her eyes were mismatched, one pink and one brown. It was her theme, it matched her hair and clothes as well. Yang knew the look well.

With an innocent smile, Neapolitan twirled her umbrella, the blade pointed dangerously close to Yang's throat.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

* * *

Yang felt fire burning inside her. The image of Neo brought up thoughts and feelings she hadn't had in a long time. She was sure her irises had turned red, as she glared up at the cheerful looking girl. Neo tilted her head, that faint smirk never leaving her lips. With another twirl of her umbrella she lowered the tip just under Yang's neck. Yang knew a small spring blade would follow, and being that close, would result in being skewered.

And she wasn't going to let that happen.

With strength surprising herself, she launched both the evaporating Grimm and Neo off her, jumping to her feet. Neo let out a startled squeak as she left the ground, only to be slammed back down by a metal hand. Yang held the girl by the neck, staring into her eyes. Typically one pink and one brown, now they were both pink. She looked scared.

Neo shook her head, hands scratching at Yang's. But she was nowhere near strong enough to stop her now. All Yang had to do was squeeze a little more and…

"Yang no!" Merc cried, struggling against his bonds. "You don't understand! She's-"

"I'll deal with you later, Merc." She interrupted. "I knew it was too good to be true, that you might be one of the good guys now."

Neo looked as if she was trying to say something, but Yang's grip had stopped any air coming in. A part of her realized that what she was doing was bordering on torture, but she didn't care. This girl, Merc, all of them had been responsible for so many deaths. Deaths that didn't need to happen, deaths that changed people for the worst.

Yang kept her grip tight, ensuring the girl wouldn't be able to escape. A couple more seconds and…

She grunted as something slammed into her. The blow sent her tumbling, and she lost her grip on Neo, who was taking in big raspy breaths. Yang shot back to her feet, fist flying before she could even get a look at her new attacker. She hit air, her opponent already behind her. Before she could turn she was knocked down again. Her attacker kicked her knee from behind, forcing her to a crouch.

Yang growled, firing her gauntlet and launching an elbow behind her. She made contact and got a pained grunt as a response. She flung herself sideways, launching a kick. Her opponent vanished again, but this time Yang got a look.

She saw rose petals.

She stopped in her tracks. All thoughts of fighting left her even as a boot hit her gut, sending her back down into the mud. With a groan, she pulled herself back up, her attacker once again gone. Before she could hit Yang again, she had to get her attention.

"Sis? Is that you out there?"

Silence reigned. For a second Yang thought she had made an error, but then she heard a faint rush, like a breeze. One second Yang had been alone, the next she wasn't. Yang's eyes widened at the sight of her. Her hair was a little longer than she remembered, and her 'combat' skirt was now adorned with leather armor patches. Her scythe was strapped to her back, her long red cloak torn and dirty at the bottom. Finally Yang looked at her eyes. Or eye. A black patch covered one, faint scars peeping out the sides of the patch. But her one good eye, Yang recognized instantly. Bright silver, unmistakable.

Yang had finally found Ruby.

Ruby blinked, she looked just as shocked as Yang. But there was something else there. She was weary, on guard. Yang looked over her features again. This was definitely Ruby, but not the one she remembered. A lot had happened over the years, just as it had to Yang.

Ruby spoke first. "Yang…it's really you isn't it?"

Yang broke into a smile, she couldn't help herself. "Yeah sis, it's really me. For real."

Ruby paused, before she too was smiling. Yang stepped forward, arms wide as she gripped her sister in a big hug. Ruby returned the gesture gingerly, before the two stepped back. "Yang, what are you doing here? Pretty sure there aren't any people in Vale to hire you."

"Weiss asked me," Yang said honestly. "She was so worried about you, that she came and found me."

"Weiss?" Ruby asked quickly. She suddenly looked a lot more like Yang remembered her, as a worried little kid. "Is she ok? What's wrong?"

"She's fine." Yang quickly assured her. "There was an attack on Atlas, but we pushed them out. Weiss was worried because she couldn't get into contact with you."

Ruby paused, before letting out a little laugh. "Oh, that. Scroll's don't work in this area anymore, as I'm sure you know."

Yang had not known that at all. She now wondered if Weiss had tried contacting her, and how she'd react if she couldn't get ahold of Yang. A cavalry of ships came to mind, and Yang hoped to god that wasn't the case.

She suddenly remembered Neo. She spun around to find the girl now wobbly standing, holding her throat with a wince. Yang balled her fist, getting ready to attack. Neo looked at her, and yet made no move to run or fight back. She just stood there frowning.

"You know sis, I'd appreciate it if you didn't go injuring my team mate anymore." Ruby said, placing a hand on Yang's arm.

The words took a few seconds to register. Yang felt her mouth hang open as she looked at Ruby. She lowered her arms, more out of shock than anything else. Ruby let out a laugh, walking over to Neo. She watched incredibly as Ruby helped the girl stand up straight, lightly running a hand over where Yang had chocked the girl.

"I'm sorry, what?" Yang near shouted. "Team mate? Have you forgotten what she's done to us? To our friends?"

"Nothing more than Mercury did." Ruby shot back, not even looking at her. "People change Yang, and there's no point living in the past if we want to save the future."

"Told you so…"

Yang had almost forgotten about Mercury. She turned to look up at him, still stuck in the Grimm webbing. He sighed. "I don't suppose you could let me down now, boss."

Yang felt a burning sensation in her cheeks, and it wasn't anger. This time. "I think I already have…"

She climbed up the tree and with a huge pull, removed most of the webbing. Merc managed to pull the rest of and they both fell back down to the swampy floor. Ruby and Neo both came and joined them. Neo's neck looked much better, no bruising or damage visible. The girl smiled at Merc, offering a happy wave.

Ruby also smiled at the man. "Hey Merc, how you been?"

"Just hanging around with your sister." He said. "She's got anger management issues."

"She always has."

"Ok!" Yang said, not enjoying the spotlight at all. "As much fun as this is, why don't we leave the swamp and head back to your campsite? I'm assuming you have one."

Neo nodded, pointing in a direction away from the city. Ruby nodded. "Yeah, we have a sight not too far from here. Is it just you and Merc?"

"No, we have two others." Yang said, as the group started walking. "Sun and another. I sent them over near the old shopping complex."

"We'll find them on the way." Ruby said as they ducked through the canopy, eventually emerging back out into the city. The rain persisted, continuing to make everyone's clothing damp and cold. Yang shivered, the storm much stronger than she had thought in the woods.

"Oh finally!" A familiar voiced called. Yang waved Sun over as he jogged toward them. He looked just as wet and miserable as they did, thought he still wore a goofy smile on his face.

"I see you found them!" He commented, offering Ruby a high five. He then looked at Yang, smile faltering. "I lost Saph. One second she was there, and the next she was gone."

Yang groaned. "Dammit, I told her…we need to find her."

Ruby nodded. She turned to Neo, exchanging words she couldn't hear, before looking back at Yang. "We'll head for camp, grab some more gear and come back to find your friend. She couldn't have gotten too far in this storm."

Merc looked around. "You didn't just come here with Neo. Who else is around?"

Ruby fought to be overheard by the storm. "We had four, but lost one to the Grimm. That leaves me, Neo and-"

A fierce explosion rocked them all. Yang lost her balance as she tumbled onto her back, the others in a similar situation. Two figures came flying out of a nearby building, destroying what remained of a wall. The building came down, no longer having the support it needed to stand. A dust cloud enveloped them, combining with the wind and rain. Yang struggled to see or hear anything. She managed to get to her feet when she saw a flash of bright red.

A red energy ball flew past, barely missing them. It collided with a ruined car behind them, melting the rusted metal frame. Yang squinted, making out the two figures from before as the dust cleared. One was small, holding its hands up as red aura formed a barrier. Yang realized it had to be Saphron, but the other she didn't recognize.

She wasn't even sure if it was a human. The large metal suit of armor bore a massive sword, pressing it down against Saph's barrier. She wasn't sure who it was, but she knew she had to protect her team mate. Ruby drew her scythe, the massive weapon crashing to the ground with a crunch.

"Taken." She hissed. "Neo, get ready."

"What?" Yang said, realizing they weren't looking at the armored warrior, but Saph. Too late did she see how Saph looked exactly like the enemy they had probably been fighting around here and elsewhere. Ruby was glaring, and Neo had that look just before she killed.

Yang ran forward, before with either could act. Saph's barrier gave out and she side stepped. The knight tumbled past her, slow in his movements. She gestured with her hand. Its sword glowed red and was pulled out of its grasp. She went to gesture again, but the knight suddenly spun, a massive shield springing from its arm. The shield hit Saph in the head, knocking her down.

Yang got between them just as the Knight tried to bring the shield down on her. Metal collided with metal as Yang fought to hold the massive shield back.

"What are you doing?" Ruby cried out as the others all rushed toward them.

"She's my other team mate!" Yang shouted through gritted teeth. "She's not what you think! She's not like the others!"

The knight pulled the shield away, causing Yang to tumble forward. With a shove, it pushed her away, before turning back on Saph. The girl was groaning, holding her head and she feebly fought to stand. It knocked her back down, before bringing the shield back up. Yang was already on her feet but she knew she couldn't reach them in time. She could only watch as the shield came down.

"Jaune stop!"

The shield stopped inches from Saph's face. The Knight stood there, still as a statue. Yang released she'd been holding her breath and breathed in. Slowly, the Knight stood tall, taking a few steps away from the fallen Saph. Saph herself groaned and lifted herself into a sitting position, wearily eyeing her assailant.

"Wait, Jaune?" Yang said, her mind catching up. "As in, Jaune Arc?"

The Knight turned its head to her. He spoke, his voice more mature and yet still eerily familiar. "Yang. Long time no see right?"

She opened her mouth but struggled to find words. Ruby beat her too it, her eye on the girl on the ground. "Sounds like we both have some explaining to do, we should make for camp."

Without another word Jaune trudged after her, the rest of the team following after them. Yang hung back, offering a hand to Saph. She grumbled, before taking the hand gingerly. Yang hoisted her up, before nodding and heading for the others.

"Yang?"

She looked back. Saph looked tired, she'd probably never had to fight like that. At least, in recent memory. "Hmm?"

"Thanks." The girl said.

Yang knew what she meant, and didn't need any more than that. "Don't mention it."

* * *

The storm had cleared, the early night sky beginning to show the stars. Ruby had led them to their makeshift camp, a partially collapsed parking complex on the outskirts of the city. They huddled around a campfire for warmth, forcing everyone to be close together. Yang felt a flare of anger when Neo plopped herself down next to Yang, but the girl just smiled briefly and held her small hands to the fire.

"So," Ruby began, her eye on Yang. "Who wants to explain first?"

Yang didn't give her a chance to begin. "What the hell are you doing here? Vale? This place is a death trap. For once, I agree with Weiss."

Ruby winced at the mention of their friend. "Weiss's judgment is askew. She can't see the value of what we're doing here."

"And what is that, exactly?" Merc said quickly, eyes narrowed. "You dropped contact months ago, you were only meant to scout and report back. What have you been doing?"

Yang threw him a glare but had to agree with him. He'd beaten her to the punchline, though she'd planned on being less civil. "Exactly, what could be so important to risk dying here?"

Ruby sighed, looking down into the fire. She suddenly looked older, as if the years had aged her. Yang realized that she very well may have seen a lot of fighting and war since they were young. She felt a pang of regret for not being there for her sister.

"We were only meant to scout." She said quietly. "But the longer we stayed here, the more I felt we could actually do something. Something to fight off the Grimm permanently. I believe…I believe we can destroy the Dragon at Beacon tower. It's the cause of the local Grimm, like a nest or a hive. If we take it out, we can stop the Grimm in this area."

This time it was Sun who beat her to speaking. "Are you out of your mind? That thing can't be killed, not by a couple of Huntsmen!"

"I think I have a way…" Ruby said, her stare shutting him up. "But in order to do it, I'd have to unfreeze it. Before it was slim, but with you four here…that reminds me."

She turned her eye to Saphron. Saph had been sitting quietly, listening to the conversation without drawing attention to herself. Ruby's eye narrowed slightly, Yang assumed it was a reflex. "What's your story?"

Yang went to answer for her, but Saph looked at her and shook her head. The girl took a breath, before beginning. "I don't have any memory of before I was caught, so if you're looking for a long story I can't give you one."

"Tell me what you do know then." Ruby retorted, her tone commanding. Yang didn't like hearing her sis talk like that, but she got the sense this wasn't a good time to interject.

"Everyone I've met has said the same thing." Saph said slowly. "That I'm the enemy. I must be one of these…Taken things you all go on about. But I'm not. I'm me, and I'm pretty sure I don't want to destroy the world, even with all the people looking at me as a monster."

Ruby was silent a moment. "You can't blame people for that. The Taken are one of the worst things Salem has ever thrown at us. All our friends, family, loved ones. No one's safe. If you die, she can bring you back. And not a single one has come out for the better, trust me. How can we possibly trust you? You could turn on us at any time."

Saph stared at her, looking somewhat appalled. "I couldn't even handle your walking steel wall, how would I beat all of you? Besides, from what I've seen…you all fight still, even if the situation seems hopeless. Even after all the horrors you describe, you're all still fighting. Some of you have shown me what exactly you're fighting for. And that makes me want to fight for it too."

Yang swore she saw Saph's eyes flicker in her direction, but it must have been a trick of the light. Ruby seemed to consider her words a moment, before nodding. "I'll be watching you, but I think you're telling the truth. Or you believe you are."

She looked back to Yang. "Before we can strike at the Dragon, there is one more problem. A Taken Warlord resides near Beacon. Before we have a shot at the Dragon, we need to take him out."

"Warlord?" Yang asked. "You mean, like a bandit leader?"

Ruby shook her head. "No, someone left here by Salem to watch over the ruins. Make sure nobody disrupts her peace here. If we take him out, we'll only have a day at the most before she sends more of them to investigate."

Yang went silent as she mulled it over. This all sounded crazy. She remembered that Dragon monster well, the night of Beacons downfall. It had spawned more Grimm, throwing out endless waves against the small number defending the tower. That had been the night she'd lost her arm, the night that…

"This is nuts." Yang said slowly. "But if you think you have a shot…I'll help."

She looked over to the others. Sun nodded and gave a thumbs up, while Merc just smirked at her. "Whatever you say, Boss."

Ruby smiled, looking more like Yang remembered her. "Thank you guys. We're going to win a major victory here. If we can do it, than that means others can get rid of the Grimm elsewhere. For so long we've thought they were unstoppable. Tomorrow…we'll prove otherwise."

Yang could feel the buzz in the air, the excitement. The look on everyone's faces was full of hope, determination. Yang could feel the optimism too, but a part of her held back. She'd seen way too much of the world to just believe as some people did. She knew how easily things could fall apart.

"Alright, get some rest guys," Ruby said, laying down beside the fire. "Tomorrows a big day."

Everyone moved to find spots to lay down. Some like Sun and Jaune, seemed more content near the fire, down and out before anyone could so much as blink. She noticed Saph and Merc side by side, the girl's eyes already closed as she leaned her head on his shoulder. He noticed her looking and smiled, a little more genuinely than usual.

"Take the second watch?" He mouthed to her. She nodded, walking over to a ruined pillar overlooking the city below. She set herself down, away from the others and the warmth of the fire.

She could hear the howls of Grimm down below, the sting of cold wind that bit her skin. She huddled closer to herself, her eyes eventually falling to Beacon tower, and the monster that clung to it. In a few days, maybe even tomorrow, they would stand together and fight it. Maybe even win. Yang had some doubts though, doubts that persisted…

"Mind if I sit?"

She jumped. She hadn't heard anyone sneak up on her, but more importantly it was a voice she didn't recognize. The voice was high and surprisingly gentle sounding, like the voice of a timid child. She whirled, expecting a stranger. She certainly wasn't expecting Neo to be standing there.

Neo smiled shyly. "Sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. Just thought…"

Yang blinked, too shocked to be angry. "Uhh, no, please. Have a seat."

Neo gracefully sat herself down beside Yang, a little too close for her comfort. But she was warm, probably from the fire. So she'd let the girl be, for now.

Yang said the first thing that popped into her head. "I didn't know you could even talk. I always assumed you were…I don't know, a mute maybe?"

Her words sounded insulting, but Neo merely laughed quietly. "I don't like talking often. I only do it with people I'm comfortable around, such as Ruby or Merc."

"Then why are you talking to me?"

Neo went quiet, her mismatched eyes looking down. Yang thought she'd been a little too rude, and merely sighed to herself. The sounds of a Nevermore rung out above, the creature as dark as the sky and hidden from her sight.

"I…wanted to apologies, actually," Neo said quietly, her voice making Yang jump again.

"Huh? What for?"

"For…everything," Neo said, swallowing and looking up at her. "The last times we met, I tried to kill you. I…wanted you to know I don't want that. I never did."

Yang couldn't help her brow coming down. "It wasn't just me, Neo. You hurt all of us, you worked with the enemy. A lot of people died because of that"

"I know…" Neo said. "And I regret every moment of it. I wish…I wish I'd never met Roman. That I'd never have gotten dragged into his world."

The mention of Torchwick surprised her, but she supposed it made sense. He had been the main man working with Cinder, so she didn't see what Neo was saying as much of a stretch. The girl, for whatever reason, was opening up to her, exposing something vulnerable. Yang could understand that feeling, even if she had been on the other side. She'd nearly forgiven Merc, and she understood that then and now were very different times. Not to mention, ten years was a long time…

"Apology accepted." Yang said finally, offering a small smile in peace. The way Neo's face lit up, Yang would have thought she'd just told the girl the best news of her life. Yang shook her head, laughing at her expression. "Alright calm down. It's not like I just told you the code to my bank account or something."

"It…means a lot to me," Neo admitted. "I was worried, back in the clearing, that I'd never hear something like that from you."

Yang was again surprised by how…sincere she was being, but she reminded herself that a lot had changed. A strong gush of wind made her shiver, her exposed legs taking the full brunt of the cold. Her attention was caught again by Neo, who was fumbling with you tiny white coat. When the girl began removing it, Yang realized what she was trying to do.

"Neo, no it's ok, really…"

The girl just smiled, laying her coat over Yang's legs. It barely covered them, tiny in comparison to Yang, but the gesture was surprisingly touching all the same. "Thanks…" She finally said.

Neo nodded, standing up with a flourish. "You don't need to thank me."

She began to walk back to the fire, but one more thing was still bothering Yang. Something she had to ask. "Neo?"

The girl turned back, looking questioningly at her.

"Do you miss him?" She asked. "Roman that is."

Neo didn't answer right away, a mix of emotions on her face. "No, I don't. Besides, we're seeing him tomorrow."

A jolt raced through Yang. "Come again?"

Neo smiled. "Roman Torchwick is the Taken Warlord."

And she left for the fire without saying another word.


End file.
